THE Euangelist Saint Luke (after he hath by sundry approoued Testimonies, wytnessed to Gods holy Church, the order and byrth of Ie­sus Christ, borne of his mother the most holye Virgin Mary) doth purpose the description of Christ hys Office and Function. In cause wherof he first cyteth the gratulatory Song of olde Father Symeon, who doth most pythely set downe the parts of Christes office, and valour of his nature to his Godhead annexed. Namely giuen of his Father, to be our onely sufficient and Omnipotent Messiah, gyuen and not solde, prepared of the Father, not at all purchased by man or Angell, to be the Saluation a­lone of Iewe and Gentyle. To the Heathen that laye in darknesse, Gods lanterne and light, and to his kinsmen the Iewes, their greatest cause of glorye. But onely Sy­meon thus fayth: And what is he, and his authoritie, that we should buylde our Fayth on his warraunt? For aun­swere I say: Giue eare to our Euangelist, who by the spi­rite of God wryteth, and thy Question shall fullye be an­swered. For thus wryteth Saint Luke. Behold there was a man in Ierusalem whose name was Symeon. Luc. 2.25. Thys man was iuste and feared God, and wayted for the consolation of Israel. And the holye Gstost was vpon him, and it was declared to him from God by the holy ghost, that he should not see death, before hee had seene that Annoynted of the Lorde. And he came into the Temple by the motion of the holy Ghost, & when the Parents brought in the Babe Iesus, to doe for him after the custome of the Lawe, then tooke he hym vp in his armes, and praysed God, and sayde: Lorde [Page] nowe lettest thou thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde. &c.

Symeon I graunt, is not here adorned of the Euangelist with Princely style, Honorable tytle, or sayde to descend of Noble parentage. Happely he was of baser byrth and meane estate, of the vulgare sorte, not exalted to office, place of credite in the Common wealths Regiment, or to worldly riches. And here in doth Gods spirite continue his well be gonne course in the byrthe of thys Babe Christ: Who hymselfe though king and Lorde ouer all, yet in earth borne, is wrapped in sorye clowtes, layde in a Man­ger, whose Pallace was the horses stable, and his shrowde against the extreame wynters weather, was the breathe which the Oxe and Asse naturally breathed. A poore begin­ning: yea, but gloryous, thoughe to the worlde ignomi­ous, and in the accompts of the Atheists of our dayes ridi­culous. But so also to poore Shepheards watching their Flockes by night, not to pompous Princes, to the learned godly Magi, not to the prowde contentious Phariseis, did the same spirite manifest our Christs Natiuitie, the Gen­tyls light and Israels glorye. So likewise brought to the Temple, he is not pompously receyued of the highe By­shop, but louingly imbraced by his pore Prophet Symeon, vpon whome the spirite of prophecie,Luc. 2.36. in steade of worldly pompe at this instant was restant. By an olde and poore Wydowe also (but a Prophetisse) the daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser, the lowest amongst the twelue Trybes of Israell. This is not done to the contempt of the mightie Monarks and Noble persons of the earth fea­ring God, but to the glory of his holy name, and the com­forte of the poore despised Christians in the worlde, that fleshe and bloud should not haue else where to reioyce, but in the Lorde. [...]. Cor. 1.26 27.28. Againe, that the eyes of men (being opened) may sée, that not by many mightie, many ritche, many wise, and Potentates of this world, but by himself in his owne power and wisedome, he vseth the base & beggerly things [Page] of this lyfe, to be his preaching Prophetes and faythfull wytnesses, by them to bring to confusion the glorious wis­dome of the world, and the pryde therof. This poore man tho, is enobled with most honorable tytles, as to be Iuste, Symeon [...] style and dygnitie. godly and religious, wayting for the consolation of Israel, and to haue the spirite of God vpon him, all which words as they set forth the excellency of this holye Symeon: So are they of vs further to be considered, for as much as they be to vs the very assured markes infallible, by which we may certainely knowe the faythfull adopted sonnes, and trusty seruants of the lyuing God, from the counterfeyte Christian and vngodly Atheist. But he is called Iust, and that of Gods spirite, which cannot lye. First, Symeon is iuste in Gods sight by the will and grace of God. Second­ly, he is iuste in lyfe amongst the sonnes of men: But what shall we saye? Was Symeon so iuste in the eyes of the Lord, that in him could no vnrighteousnesse be found. Or was he called iuste, for that he iustly fulfilled the com­maundements of God? Or else was he iuste by imputa­tion, bycause his sinnes were not layde to his charge? I answere this demaunde. Symeon is not so iust in the sight of God, that in him can no vnrighteousnesse be found, for no man is frée from synne (as Salomon sayth.Pro. 20.9.) Who can say my harte is cleane from sinne▪ If the Fountayne which is the harte of man be corrupted, the conductes his mem­bers and actions, must néeds be infected therwith. Truely in Gods syght, neyther are the Starres cléere wythout shadowe, or the Angels iust in this respect.Iob. 15.14. Where shall we finde then an earthly man, that can stande in and by himselfe thus iuste before the Lorde? Nay, the best rege­nerate person, is manye wayes corrupte,No man iust before God. and his actions full of synfulnesse: yea, his best works are impure, farre shorte of that they should, vnworthy Gods sight, muche more his louing acceptation, but most vnworthy the ac­compts of righteousnesse. In one worde, we & our workes (alwayes our selues and valour respected) are (though re­generate [Page] children) as menstruous clothes in Gods eyes,Esa. 66. 2. Luk. 17.10. and our selues verye vnprofitable seruauntes. Neyther was Symeon iuste, as fulfylling iustly all the commaun­dements of God. For that neyther could he, nor any other before him, or since his tyme to the ende of the worlde, can there be any (Christ Iesus excepted) which shall or may doe in perfection the commaundements of GOD: And therfore Symeon, nor any other man can chalenge to him or them in truth and déede, as hauing wonne the same, the tytle of righteousnesse. But on the other side, they are all founde Transgressors,Rom. 3.10 and accused of guyltinesse, when as in their best workes they are faultie, and not able to do all, but offending in euerye one, they are worthyly pro­nounced guyltie of the whole. No, not Abraham in that best approoued worke, when he wyllinglye in Spirite (though not without sharpe conflicts in bodye and minde) offered vp his sonne (as the worde of the Lorde comman­ded him) hath warrante to vaunte of righteousnesse be­fore God, or was thereby iustifyed in his syghte, but by his Fayth,Rom. 3.28. as by the hande wherwith he apprehended his righteousnesse in Christ. Or maye any person obiect (in right) as opposite hereto,The words of Iames declared. By the pa­pists abused the saying of Iames the Apostle, was not Abraham iustified by workes? For Iames doth not in that place dispute the meanes of mans iustificati­on before God, but requyreth that good works be to Chri­stian fayth adioyned, as by which grace holye men on earth, doe approoue that, which God in the Heauens be­fore, through the vndoubted fayth in hys Sonne Iesus Christ, hath imputed to his beloued children: which may easely appeare in the Apostles owne wordes: Shewe mee thy fayth out of thy works (sayth he) and I will shewe thee my fayth by my workes. Iam. 2.18. As if he had sayde. Thou which boastest to haue fayth, shewe me that am but man (and therefore knowe not thy state before the Tribunall seate of GOD, or his graces in the inwarde man, by which meanes I cannot iudge of thée) Shewe me I saye thy [Page] fayth by hys works in thée, and I will beléeue thée then to be a faythfull Christian.Gene. 22.16. This sence Moses also testifieth the Angel (or rather the Lorde by his Angel) to approoue which stayde the hande of Abraham from the sacrifycing of his sonne. Touch not thy sonne with violent hands, for nowe I knowe that thou fearest God, bicause thou hast not spared thine only sonne, for my commaundement sake. To conclude, the Epistle written to the Hebrewes, doth attri­bute this great worke of Abraham to the excellency of his fayth, saying. By fayth Abraham offred vp his sonne Isaac. Heb. 11.17 It resteth therefore, sythe Symeon is not able to fulfill the lawe, but fayleth in many poyntes thereof, and therefore guyltie of all. Sithe also that those good workes which he doth, be polluted in Gods syght, as procéeding from hym selfe, by which meanes he is become in himselfe vniuste before God, that nowe his righteousnesse consysteth here­in, that his synnes be not layde to his charge, according to the saying of the Psalmist.Psal. 31.1. Blessed are they whose iniqui­ties are forgiuen, and whose synnes be not imputed to them. Thus was Symeon vniust in himselfe, but iust in his con­solation Christ Iesus, and that bicause he fyrmely belee­ued in him, by whose merittes and death on the Crosse, the Fathers iustice is answered, Symeons synnes raunso­med, mercye to hym procured, his daylie synnes not layde to his charge: bycause by imputation, he is accounted for iust. And in the same maner are all the elect of God alyke blessed with him. And so lykewise all the workes of Gods saintes are impure in his sight, if tryed by the phan of hys spirite, before his Tribunall seate. But such is his father­ly benigne mercye, that in and for his sonne Christ, he ac­cepteth vs, and then our holy actions for iuste (as he accep­ted Habel and his sacryfice, but he regarded not Caine, Gene. 4. and therfore not his sacryfice) & also he casteth our iniquities quight out of his remembrance.Ezec. 18.

Secondly Symeon is called pius godly, religious,Iere. 31.22 or fea­ring God. This is proper to the chylde of God, if iustifyed [Page] by his grace, then to lyue in his feare, that is in his obedi­ence.Tit. 2.12. Luk. 1. We are also redéemed to this ende. That we should denye vngodlynesse, and walke in puritie of lyfe, in holy­nesse and righteousnesse before our iuste God, all the dayes of our lyfe. So sayth the holye Ghoste in the mouth of Za­chary the good maryed Priest. So did the same holye man of God and his good wyfe, by vertuous lyfe expresse the graces of Gods holye spirite in them, as testifyeth Saint Luke saying: Both were iuste before God, and walked in all the commaundementes of the Lorde without reproofe. Luc. 1.6. Here hast thou (good Reader) the true discription of a godly man, namely he that being iustifyed by Fayth in Christ, walketh (though he cannot performe in perfection) in all the commaundements and ordinances of the Lord. Deare Reader, we glorye that we be called christians, but onely this is a true christian lyfe, of which here thou haste heard. Our wants in this profession in these oure dayes, bewray from top to the toe, in the Courte and thence tho­rowe the Countrie, from the Nobilitie, to the Plowman and his mate. The greater personages boast and bragge of great tytles, Lordships, Baranies, Offices and liber­ties, of bewty, byrthe, brauerie, manhood, chyualry and force, of cunning skyll, learned tongue. But vnlesse my Lords, ye relye vpon Symeons lore, vnlesse ye be worthy­ly endowed with his style: vnlesse ye be iuste before God, walke in all the commaundementes of God, not only to do holyly, but to be holy your selues in déede. Vndoubtedly your honor, and all your other pompe in pryde, shall you change for horror, wéeping, howling and gnashing of teeth, and so shall all fleshe that lyueth not in the feare of God.Math. 25.30. What benefite was it to Diues, nowe boyling in Hell, that he was endewed with all worldlye Epicurious plea­sures?Luck. 16. as gorgious houses, costly array after the fashion, diuersitie of dyshes, and the worlde at wyll. Or what ad­uantage to the other Ritchman,Luck. 12. that pulled downe his Barnes to make them greater, & sayde to hymselfe. Now [Page] soule be merrie, for thou hast goodes and landes in store for many yeres. But how did he possesse this large and newe buylded frame? Thou foole sayth the spirite: This nighte shall they take thy soule from thee, and who shall then pos­sesse thy goods? Shall not the wicked ritche men lykewise haue their heauen in this lyfe? Shall they not after the hower of death, with Diues lye in the Helles lyke shéepe, and say.Sapi. 3. There was no greene pasture which we wente not through? (whereby they note in naturall lyfe their courtly pleasures) We left no token of vertue behinde vs (in thys they signifie their wicked lyfe buryed in contynuall secu­ritie.) We thought these men fooles (vz Symeon and such other the sonnes of God.) Whereby they vtter their ig­norance of godly men, and their owne fréedome from god­lynesse. These are they which wee persecuted, scorned and cruelly intreated, but nowe see how they are taken with the iuste. By which the holye ghost sealeth vp the naturall dis­position of all Atheists, to their gréeuous and irrecupera­ble condemnation: Wherefore beloued Reader (Noble and ignoble, Courtier and Countryman) séeke the Lorde earely, and whyle he is to be founde, attayne to his ser­uice, who by his grace will endue thée with iustification,Esa. 55. and holynesse, with obedience to his holy law, and delight to dwell therin,Ephe. 1.14 bicause his holye spirite is his Arrha and earnest penny giuen thée, for thy assurance of his loue and fauour towards thée. So shall your Nobilities more en­crease, your state most surely stande, your selues with Symeon shall be famous to your posteritie, & a good exam­ple for the age to come. Amen.

Thirdly, he is sayde to wayght for the consolation of Israel. The Euangelists purpose is,Symeons ioye. to shewe vs wherein the ioy of this olde father consisted. Namely that whether he did eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer he else did, therin he neyther tooke more then was méete and sufficient, or made his b [...]lly his pleasant God, or any worldly thing else, but that his ioye was fixed in his féeling fayth, fastened in the [Page] Messias our annoynted Christ, which he knewe by the stu­die of the Scriptures, to be at hande, by whome he sawe his synnes to bée forgiuen, and hys whole Countrye and brethren with him to haue their full and only consolation. And here agayne is noted Symeons iustification, in that he beléeued in Iesus Christ, promised in the worde of God, to haue the forgiuenesse of hys synnes, and in hym eternall lyfe. His fyrme fastened fayth is here noted vnder thys worde (He wayted) which expresseth as well his constan­cie as his fortitude, against those perillous tymes where­in he was. The common welth of Israell so ruyned, and the Church of God in Iewry so corrupted, that it mighte seeme all her hope of recouerie from their woes, or conso­lation in their hartes to be vtterly extinguished. We may not forget here howe the Euangelist significantly noteth the corruption and degenerate condition of the Citie Ie­rusalem, which sometymes being the holyest place vnder Heauen, is nowe become so estranged from her God, so plunged in securitie and synne,Shadow of Englands securitie. so hardened in hart against the truth, and so ignorante of her estate, that neyther shée féeleth her present miserie, or wayteth for her consolation Christ the Messiah. Onely this one man in a whole Citie is here named to féele the one, and with long expectation and pacient abode for the Lords leasure, hopeth after the other, and that bicause he had the warrante of God, by his holy worde for the same, and was fylled with the spirite, whereby he was in mercye preserued from that déepe and iuste iudgement of blyndnesse, wherein the wicked Pha­rysies, and the whole people and Princes of Iewrie (a few with Symeon excepted) were ouerwhelmed, which is ve­hemently noted by the Euangelist in this worde Ecce, be­holde. O beloued England thou mayest lawfully mourne, fostering a great number of such people, which be as wan­dring, as carelesse, as bolde in their synne, and hardned in heart, as euer were the inhabitants of Ierusalem. They talke of Christ, and they are myraculously preserued by [Page] this our Messiah, but as in their déeds they doe denie him: So they counte him to them eyther vnprofitable, or think him not their consolation. For truely they desire not hys presence, they hate his Gospel,Iere. 3.19. & that bicause their deeds are euill. Neyther desire they his comming: But as the théefe imprisoned, wysheth the Iudgement seate ouer­turned, the lawe with his Princes and power deade, and the day of his execution neuer to come: Euen so doe these Caterpillers of the earth, whose consciences doe accuse them guyltie, and fearing his iudgement, they desyre ra­ther that he were not at al, then that he should come to giue them the rewarde of synne, Eternall death, the assured sty­pende to al wicked actions and thoughts,Rom. 6.23 to Princes fyrst, and to whomsoeuer men and women, which in like wickednesse ioyne with these Princes and prophane Pha­rysies of Ierusalem. Surely lyke desolation shall ouer­throwe them, if they séeke not Christ in tyme by repen­tance, and with Symeon wayte for their consolation in him. Note with me (gentle Reader) in the commendation of this good man, that the spirite of God ioyneth righte­ousnesse and Religion in one yoke together, saying:No godly­nesse of lyfe, no ryghte Religion. Sy­meon was iust and religious. Hereby he teacheth vs, that these two are so lincked and connexed by the Fynger of God, that they cannot be seperate in twayne, but of lyke necessitie with the Sunne, which hath his Globe, his light and his heate so conioyned, that wheresoeuer the one shy­neth, the other cannot but warme, and as the soule & body are so compact in one, that the bodye cannot but performe the pleasures of the same: Euen so in whomsoeuer true Righteousnesse in Christ is, in him also there cannot but be the true feare of God, and holynes of lyfe, which is the singuler seruing of our God, in the inwarde desyre of our hartes vnfaynedly, and here called Religion, or true god­lynesse.Psal. 116. Act. 4.20 I beleeued and therfore I spake (sayth Dauid) We cannot but testifie the things which we haue heard and seene (sayth the Apostle) I determined to holde my tongue (sayth [Page] Ieremy (the preaching Prophet) the peoples obstinacy was such, and my daungers so great, but the worde was as fyre within my hart, as a burning fyre shut vp within my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, & I could not stay. Again, I will be their GOD (sayth the Lorde by his Prophet) and they shall be my people. Iere. 20.9. Ier. 31.33. They shall not but serue the Lorde to whome he is God. Againe, I will poure cleane water into you, and you shall bee cleane, yea from all your filthynes, and from all your Idols will I clense you. A newe harte will I giue you, and a newe spirite will I put into you, and I will take away the stony harte out of your bodye, and will giue you an harte of fleshe. And I will put my spirite within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes, and you shall keepe my iudgements and doe them. To conclude, it is the Lorde Christ, which hath created his seruaunts af­ter the Image of God, in righteousnesse and true holy­nesse, which is the perfect newe man, in whom both these graces be ioyned,Ephes. 4.24. as Paule sayth to the Ephesians. So that true righteousnesse, wyll effectually shewe faythfull holy­nes, in one and selfe same Christian. But as for such as onely haue Christ in their lyppes, and denye him in their déedes, whose whole course of lyfe, is set vpon sensuall ap­petite to worldly lustes, and yet can crye Lorde, Lorde. Thou knowest deare Reader, what the Lord hath denoū ­ced against them.Luc. 13.26 We haue eaten and dronke at thy Table (saye these men) yea wee haue preached and taught in thy name, and therein cast out Deuils. But they haue this sen­tence: Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not: That is, I approoue not your acts for godly, or you for mine, therfore departe from me into the Lake of burning fyre that neuer shall be quenched. These be those Atheists of our dayes, which because the gracious Prince, & godly lawes, laye hande to the Plowe of the Gospels profession (the which the Lord in mercy continue and increase) ther­fore to winne fauour in the Courte, & to maintayne their carnall countenance, they wil be Temporarij, for the time [Page] Gospellers, they will heare the Preacher, they will curte­ouslye salute hym, they will giue him séemely entertayn­ment, they will tourne the Popishe face into the inwarde mynde, and be couered with this cloke to fawne vpon the gospell. But marke their lyues, and eyther they be mani­fest contemners of Religion, hating reformation of their wickednes, or they doe priuily shoote out their arrowes, Psal. 120.23. euen tongues as whote as burning coales, into the eares of Princes and Potentates against the Lorde, and hys truth, and against his faythfull seruantes in déede, which eyther by preaching, exhortation or pen, séeme to sommon their conscience to a better consideration of belonging duety to their God. Then saye they: Come let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremy, Iere. 18.18. for the lawe shall not perishe from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, The prac­tise of A­theists. nor the worde from the Prophet. That is, the Romaine Church cannot erre, or the holy Pope (sauing thy reuerence good Reader be deceyued) and therefore whosoeuer speaketh against that, as farre as we may kéepe credite in these dayes, and though it be with some stayne. Come let vs smyte him with the tongue (let vs slaunder him and accuse him, for we shal be beleeued) and let vs not giue heede to any of his wordes. But let not Ieremy be afrayd: For Esay sayth. The enimy shall come lyke a flood (vz ioyned together vehemently working) but the spirite of the Lorde shall chase him away, and Christ our consolation (doe we wayte for him giuing breade to our brethren in due season) shall come to Sion, and vnto all them that turne from iniquity in Iacob, sayth the Lorde in the former places. Wherfore I eftsoones say to you, Fleshe, bloud, earth, and ashes, not wyse in God, deceyuing your selues. If ye lyue after the fleshe, Rom. 8.13 yee shall dye, but if by the spirite ye mortifie and kyll the deeds of the fleshe ye shall lyue, which be these: Adultery, fornication, Gal. 5.19. vncleannesse, wantonnesse, ydolatry (which in our dayes is Popery) Witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulation, hypocrisie, wrath, contention, herisies, enuye, murther, dronkennes, [Page] gluttony, and such lyke, you shall lyue eternally. Further here are conuinced euery such, which not caring for anye Religion at all, take parte of neyther side, but accounte themselues Gods good seruants, if they lead an honest cy­uill lyfe amongst men. But in Symeons commendation to be Gods seruante, we fynde this principallye noted, that he was iuste and religious. To these we adde all hypo­crites, which professing outwarde shadowes of fayned ho­lynesse, doe spende their waste labors in mens tradicions, for the obseruance whereof, they make no care to trans­gresse all bounden pietie and seruice to God, obedience to Princes and godlye Magistrates, or obsequie to their na­tural Parents or louing brethren. But Christ sayth, these worship him in vayne. Mat. 15.9. Remember wel the prouident care of the Euangelistes pen, that he doth not commend to vs Symeons good lyfe first, but his state from God, and his re­ligion in God, as if hereby he would tell vs, y^t we are not precisely to tye our selues, to immitate this or that kynde of worke of the saints (for works shall not be wanting in the children of God as we haue sayde) but that we should séeke to follow their fayth in Christ,First grace, then graci­ousnesse. and be zealous in his Religion, walking therin with a right foote, vpright in the sighte of God.Gala. 2.14 We haue here also to consider the dyuers natures of earthly men, according to the spirite whereby they are ledde, whether of synne vnto death, or of righte­ousnesse vnto lyfe. Rom. 6.16 And this note I gyue vpon the reporte that Symeon wayted for the consolation of Israel. The sonnes of Symon Magus the Pope, and his adherents, as carnall Gospellers and Popishe Atheists, doe wayte also and séeke for all opportunitie, but it is to haue wherewith to satisfie their worldly lustes, and that is their expectati­on. When will the newe Moone come (say they) that wee may sell our corne deare, Amo. 8.5. and chaffe for corne, and sell our brethren for smale tryflying pleasures and valors, to suck the bloud of their Tenants and inferiors.The fruite of carnall Gospellers. These men can and doe fyrst pull downe Tyllage, and dyke in pastures, [Page] with Lammas cloking Closes, they driue the poore p [...]w­man to feast with pease breade on Christmas daye, euen thys yere it was so. These wayte, but it is for the deare yeare. Some of these, nowe buy Corne in Markets, ha­uing great store of their owne, to bréede a dearth, and in the latter parte of Sommer, when the same is esta­blished,Such mind such purpose then bring they forth their corne to fyll their lu­cring luste. Yea, and Dauid expecteth Bethseba her com­ming to his call. And Iesabel the euente of her Deuillishe deuise, against Noble Naboth, for his Vyneyarde made Achab sicke. Herodiadas that dauncing Dame, also way­teth, but it is for fytte oportunitie, when best she maye by the caperous footing, and vnwomanly vawting of her Daughter, to begge at Herods hands, the heade of her re­proouer the holye preacher of God Iohn Baptist. Whose graunte in delight of such perillous fantasies: shall force the fleeting tymes retyre, to be a wayling wytnesse of this Princes wicked decrée. Iudas did wayte in lyke manner, but to betray his mayster Christ: And the Pharisies expec­ted oportunitie, to crucifye the Lorde of lyfe, and yet to kéepe quyet in the common wealth.2. Tim. 4.10. Demas a follower of the Apostle Paule wayteth, when best he maye vnder pre­tence of religion become ritche, wherof fayling, He for­saketh him and loueth this presente worlde. Alexander the Copersmythe and Demetrius wayte, to reuenge the o­uerthrowe of Diana her shryne, Act. 19.23 2. Tim. 4.14. 3. Epist. 9. vers. and therfore become they enemies to the Apostles. So doth Diotrephes to stop the Truth, though Iohn the Euangeliste doth wryte the same. The Pope and his, wyll not permit the worde of God to come to lighte, for then his kingdome must decaye. The Satrapas doe wayte for tyme,Dan. 6. that Daniel maye by Acte of Parliament, be cast into the Lyons Denne, and a lawe for his destruction to be established, as the lawe of the Medes, Daniels lotte. which cannot be broken. But bicause they cannot obtayne this in christian Cyrus daies, they wayte for another Bull to bring in a Cambyses, which shal vtterly forbyd the buyl­ding [Page] of Ierusalem. Athalia wayteth also after the Kings seede,2. Reg. 11.1 the Scarlet Romanist expecteth her tyme, when to broyle once again Iehosophat his posterity: but Iehoidah our highe and eternall Priest, shall cause the Kings Com­mission at length, to cast her out of the house of God, that all christian Lords and Captaynes, maye bathe their obe­dient blades in her thirstie bloode. Oh that the house of Is­rael had not wayted the departure of Iehoiadah, 2. Chr. 24.17. supposing with more ease, to disswade vertuous Ioash from the Lorde.The depar­ture of god­ly Byshops the decaye of Religion. God graunt our godly Ioash to be daylie thankfull to God for her deliuery, and to continue the godly counsell of Iehoidah, I meane her Maiesties honorable Counsell, learned Bishops and godly preachers, and to stop her gra­cious eares against the wylie charmes of such (as séeking to bring some sorte of these states to contempt) would doe their best to drawe vs to their former Idolatrye, the dore of our vtter desolation. Finally, the wicked wayteth but to wallow in all synne and Epicureous lyfe, saying: Let vs eate and drinke, 1. Cor. 15.32. to morrowe we shall dye, take our plea­sures whylst we lyue, for after this, we knowe not what shall become of vs. But Symeons brethren are farre and sure set another waye, they wayte and looke for the Hea­uenly knowledge of the Lorde, wherein is eternall lyfe, for Christ their consolation to dwell in their hartes by fayth,Iohn. 17.3 for his holye spirite, to kéepe their bodyes, Soules, and Spirits blamelesse, vnto the day of consolation, when Christ with his Angels shall come to receyue them to glo­rie. They vse the worlde as they whose mindes are else where set, in the heauens, from whence they wayte for their Sauiour. Titu. 2.13 They lyue in hope, and wayte by al meanes to ouercome the worlde, the fleshe and the Deuill, & they abyde paciently y^e euill degenerating dayes of our lyfe,Hebr. 12. and méekely beare the crosse of Consolation, heauy to the flesh, hoping that the euent shal be to their God glorious, to his Church commodious, and to themselues in hym prospe­rous.1. Pet. 2.12 They finally wayte to liue so, as the enimy which backbyteth them, may by their example be trayned to re­ioyce [Page] in the daye of their visitation. And last of all, when God the Father (with whome their lyfe is treasured vp in Christ) will by his beloued sonne appeare for our full re­demption,Collos. 3. that all we that longly wayte in Spirite and Truth for his comming, to cutte of these dayes of synne, and ende this wretched worlde, maye lifte vp our heades, with assured comforte,Luc. 21.18. bicause we shall then be with thys our Symeon, and the whole elect of God, for euer after glo­rious, brought to our Fathers kingdome, the inheritance of our onely consolation Christ Iesus, and lykewise oure inheritance in him.

Furthermore, we are precisely to stande in this,No health but in christ. that besyds Iesus Christ, there is no consolation, and without syncere fayth in him nothing but desolation, and eternall woes. The way to rest in this our Redemption by Christ is with Symeon to fixe our fayth absolutely in him for our Saluation, without which we shall neyther feele comfort in him, or rightly serue him. And before I passe this point, as the meaner sort haue had in Symeon a playne patterne of holynesse: So I thought to giue the Ritcher and more Noble personages,A Noble patterne to the Nobles of England. an example of Nobilitie to followe in this case. And the same is noble Ioseph of Aramathaea, the Disciple of Iesu, and the same was ritche: Luke sayth of him thus. And beholde there was a man named Ioseph, he was a Councellour a good man and a iust, &c. Luc. 23.50 Hee did not consent to the counsell and deede of them which was of A­ramathaea a Citie of the Iewes: who himselfe also wayted for the kingdome of God.

Mathew thus. And when euen was come, Math. 27.57. there came a ritch man of Aramathaea, named Ioseph, who had also himselfe bene Iesus Disciple.

Iohn sayth. He was Iesus Disciple, Ioh. 19.38. but priuilye for feare of the Iewes, for he doubted that if he should confesse Christ they would cast him not onely out of Counsell, but out of the Synagoge.

Marke the Euangelist sayth thus.Mar. 15.24 Ioseph of Aramathea [Page] an honorable Counsellour, which also looked for the king­dome of God, came and went in boldly vnto Pilate, and as­ked the body of Iesus.

This noble Counsellour by all the Euangelists is thus discribed. First, his dwelling place is to vs noted, which was a famous Citie of the Iewes, for Ioseph was of A­ramathaea (supposed to be the same which was also before called Ramath, layde oute for the Citie of the Leuites by Samuel the Prophet, sytuate about the Mounte Ephraim, néere to Lydda, which after was called Diospolis.). Se­condly, his condition and lyfe, by condition Noble, for he was an honorable Counsellour, eyther of the Sanhedrin, or called to Pilats Counsell. Concerning godly cyuilitie, he was honest, a good man and a iuste. Touching his Religi­on, he was a disciple of Iesu, and wayted with Symeon for the kingdome of God, that is, for his redemption in Christ his Lord and Mayster. Concerning his faythfull seruice to his Mayster Christ our Lorde, he withstoode the Counsell boldly (as did also Nicodemus) and when he coulde not preuayle, he openly refused to gyue his consent to them in the death of Christ (for the Euangelist speaketh of a thing that was knowne to all men.) His infirmitie was some­what great in déede, that hee durst not confesse Christ for feare of the Iewes. But his modestie was more, that being of such place and power, he resisted not the Magistrate by sworde for the cause of Christ, being a subiect to that ty­rannous power, or with haultie wordes, or conuitious spéeche, gaue counterchecke to their curssed blasphemies, but manifestly refused to allowe of that murthering Sen­tence. To giue you this man wholy in his vertues. As he refused to kyll Christ by cruell sentence. So Christ being slayne, he sheweth himselfe more faythfull and bold in the cause of Christ, then eyther the Virgin Mary, or any other of the Apostles. For as saint Marke sayth. He went with great boldnesse to that dissembling Tyran Pilate, in the heate of the Iewes rage, and honorably obtayneth the [Page] body of Iesu to be buryed and the same layeth in his owne graue honorably prepared for himselfe. This was to his state very dangerous. For in that he maketh sute to honor him with buriall, whome the Presidente, Princes, and people of the Iewes, had condemned to death, and subscri­bed therevnto, what might they accompt of Ioseph other, then that this his peticion gaue flat condemnation to their present action? What was he? and where dwelte he? That did or durst begge with boldnesse the bones of the be­loued Bucer, which the Papists in their rage and great so­lemnitie burnte at Cambridge? By this measure, howe bolde and aduenturous attempte this was in this Noble Counsellour, his honor, ryches, place, and calling conside­red. Besides this, Ioseph myght haue founde some better and more easie waye to haue obteyned his purpose, to haue done that honor to the slayne bodye of Christ, whome he durst not confesse during his lyfe. As he might haue obser­ued the Iewes, where (their crueltie ended) they woulde haue caste the deade bodye of our Sauiour Iesus Christe, and by night haue priuely conuayed the same to hys Se­pulture, or to haue procured fauour of the Centurion for money, to haue bought the bodye of the Lorde, which pos­syblie might as wel haue come to passe, as the high Priests to corrupt the Souldiours for money,Mat. 28.13. to saye that his Dis­ciples stole him away by night. This might fleshe & bloude in infyrmitie of Nature, haue perswaded this Princely Péere in God. But the wisedome of God hath otherwise determyned, and therefore at a sodaine changed the harte of Ioseph, and of a priuie and quaking Disciple, made hym an open and most Heroycall spirited Souldiour, all which holy Luke testifieth of purpose, in these words.Luc. 23.50 Tum ecce vir nomine Ioseph, &c. As if he would saye, beholde nowe a maruellous matter and sodayne mutation,A christian courage in a Noble counsellour. beyonde the expectation of all men, come to passe. When the matters of Christ the Lorde were thus in hande, that he was cru­cyfied, slayne, and dead vpon the crosse, and there hanging [Page] was of all men neglected, his louers and friends for feare hyding themselues, & some other of them standing aloofe, wéeping the miserable daye, and beholding with grieslye griefe, the most pitifull case of our despised Christ, no man daring to offer himselfe for the glory of the father, to honor the bloody body of his dead sonne. Then euen then, dyd this graue Councellour, ritche seruant and faythfull Disciple, caste of the cowardishnesse of his fleshe, and armed wyth the spirite of God, professed himselfe alone to be the ser­uaunte of Christe, in the myddle of his enimies, and at Pilates person, he stowtely (but wisely and with reuerent duety) beggeth the bodye of his mayster, not anye longer fearing the losse of goods, credite, office, dignitie, or caring for anye perrill that might to his Noble person, or hono­rable house thereafter befall. O Noble christian Counsel­lour. And note well ye Noble seruants of Iesu, the Lorde your mayster who hath the hartes of Kings in his hands, and doth turne them as he doth the Tydes of the Sea,Pro. 21.1. and Ryuers of water, did so humble the harte of Pilate to hys Counsellors request, that spéedily he obtayned his godlye desyre. And that more is, where Ioseph thought hymself a­lone to haue this cause in hand, there the Lord of lyfe doth in the moment of tyme, ioyne to him a most Noble Pha­risie named Nicodemus, God gyueth good successe to godly la­bours, farre beyonde all expectation. a teacher of the Law, that so both estates, Spiritual and Temporall, may perceyue that the Lorde doth keepe them in power and fauour with princes and potentates, bicause they shoulde with courage doe the Lorde seruice: yea, euen in dangerous seasons, if Christ be eyther accused, prysoned, or anye waye else euill dealt withall. The heroycall hartes then of christian Counsel­lours, and Noble Christians, Courtyers and Gentlemen of credite, should (though alone) make humble and earnest and eftsoones peticions, to the Deputie of our head Christ, for the godly members of the same: God will ioyne with them, and enclyne the hartes of the hardned for his sonnes glory, and graunt ayde vnto you in his businesse beyonde [Page] your expectation, and your selues shall finde fauour wyth God, for your labors in his Christ.

Now in Ioseph his person and also in Nicodemus, there are two things to be well and déepely considred, for want wherof many doe to their great hindrance from God, take euill example not rightly giuen. First therfore, we are to consider, what be the thinges in these men to be followed of Noble men, women & others. Secondly, the hyndring euill,A righte eye is to be had in the deeds and lyues of godly men. which manye doe presumptuously take as offered in the persons of these men, to be receyued without reproofe. The thing to bée followed (that so this faythfull seruice to God may appeare to the more Noble christians) is: that they be endowed with their exampler Ioseph, his spiritual quallities and christian habite, which maketh them truely braue and bewtifull: yea, so as neyther Silkes, Veluets, Syluer, or Golde can doe, and that is that they be in per­son honest, not giuen to the notable vices, folowing for the most parte forreyn Nobilitie, (so I call al those by carnall byrth enobled, in whose hart God by his spirite and worde beareth not the soueraigntie) as Idlenesse, the mother of al euill, surfetting, dronkennesse, whoredome, chambring, wantonnesse, blasphemous othes, filthy and rybaldous talk­ing, and couetous cruelty ouer their sore oppressed Te­nants, and inferior people, and such lyke: but that they be giuen to the custome of honest and chast lyfe, sobrietie of minde and manners, comlynesse of apparell, agréeable his dignitie, moderate dyet and frugall hospitality, louing harted, and vsing vpright dealing with all men, assured that as their persons doe farre excell the lower sorte, so God requireth more regard of them.Luc. 12.48 For to whom much is giuen, of him shall be much required. And let them make thys reckning, if they hunte counter herein, the verye heathen Nobilitie shall ryse agaynst them to iudgement. It is sayde of the seueritie among the olde Romaynes in iudgement, that if an olde person or famous Senator (al if greatly for hys desertes were to be renowmed) be­came [Page] in any sorte to be the example of yll to the common weale, he should haue seuere censure. Lucius Antonius Lucius Antonius was cast out of the Senate house, for that hauing maried a Mayde, he cast her off by deuorce, wythout the counsell of his friends. Fabritius Lucius Censor adiudged Corne­lius Rufinus, Cornelius Rufinus. who had bene twise Consul, and twise Dic­tator, vnworthy the fellowship of Senators, bycause he had ouercuriously decked his Cubborde wyth Syluer plate, as gyuing thereby a superfluous example to hys fellow brethren and others Duronius Duronius also was remoued the Senate, for that being Tribune, he did dissolue that reasonable lawe set downe before by the Senate, which dyd restrayne the lashing prodigalitie in fumptuous feasts and banquets. These and such other examples the Stories delyuer vs. But who thinketh these men (were they in these dayes) worthye such seuere censure, being Noble and well deseruing? Or who is of Iulius Caesars Iulius Caesar. iudgement, holding it most honorable for a noble man, or of higher calling, by vertues to excell others, and also so to guyde his family, that his housholde maye be frée from all suspition of euill. O that our christian Gentrie were come to this heathen mans perfection in this poynte. Or that our Byshops would in all their houses beginne thys daunce.What is as­ked of the Nobilitie. Well Ioseph must beginne to doe it, and also to be iuste in his dealing with all men, which consisteth in the equall gyuing to euery man his owne, and to doe to others, as they would they should doe to him. And to the vtterest of his authority and power,Mat. 7.12. he must follow the counsel of the noble prince and Prophet Dauid, hymselfe to defende the fatherlesse and people in righteousnes, and the poore with equitie, saue the children of the needy, and subdue the oppressor, redeeme the pore from deceyte and vyolence, and accounte their bloode deare and precious in his eyes. But if (O Noble princes) happily you cannot in your office and authority doe alwayes as you woulde, yet be sure that ye neuer giue consent to the wicked coun­sels [Page] of other in their euill, or to wincke at the wresting of the Lawe, for the fauour of the vniuste party, or feare of the mighty, or in hope to haue lyke friendship of others, in your disposed quarrels.

Thirdly, ye must with Ioseph be Iesus Disciple,Christiani­tie ought to be ioyned with No­bilitie. and o­penly by your acts confesse his glory, ye must be religious and godly, haue your fayth fyrmely set in Christ the Lord by the warrante of his worde. Ye must not keepe amitie with such as would drawe your honors & soules to strange Gods, as to Idolatrous Popery, &c.Deut. 13. Thus shall the holye Ghost worke in you the true feare of God, dryue away ty­merousnesse, and animate you with heroicall boldnesse in christian offices, that you shal not respect the faces of men, but the will of God, and your alegiance to his Magistrate set ouer you, and your alotted office to Gods Church, that in all respects you shall reach thyther your helping hands, if not as you would, yet as you may, with peticion & peace, neuer consenting to her hurte, though wicked tymes will not permit you power to her helpe. So shall you raigne with your Mayster Iesus Christ noble and glorious.

The hindering matter, as receyued from Ioseph and Nicodemus, is after this sort vsed. These were vertuous noble men, wise, and godlye (say the Nicodemitans Nicode­mitans.) they were moderately minded, no hot spurre gentlemen, they came in lesser shewe then the Apostles after Christe, but they were as well beloued as the rest, wherefore let these forward men go on themselues, we wyl come softly after. Yea syr, rather come an elle behinde the Lawe, then step one ynche before it. So did Steuen Gardiner, and is com­mended of bloudye Bonner in his preface to Winchesters Booke, de vera obedientia. And when he came to the Law, it was not bicause he was wylling to lyue therein vnfay­nedly (as his reuolt in Quéene Maries dayes approoued) but that he was not yet come to that height, which he & hys holy father looked after, and saw no better meane to keepe out of so honorable a place, a faythfull pastor, then to coun­terfeyt [Page] Religion for a season. And by this meane in déede Satan by him so preuayled, that Popery neuer could be cut downe, albeit, it was effectuallye cropped. But thys excuse by Ioseph and Nicodemus is absurde, for howe can the children of men, by the synnes of the godly, walke the way from synne? This can be no other then the pathway to Hell. Nor are we to follow the actions of the holyest m [...]n without iudgement,A sure imi­tation. but measuring his lyfe by the lyne of Gods worde, take the matter agréeing there to for thy example, as saint Paule giueth vs in charge. Followe me, Ephe. 5.1. 1. Cor. 11.1. as I follow Christ. No Paule, no further, though thou be the Doctor of the Gentyls and chosen vessel of GOD. But those steps of the saintes, which are neyther allowed nor approoued by the worde of GOD, those cast behinde thée, as the euill by nature dwelling in such holye men. It was synne in Ioseph to conceale his profession in Christe for feare of displeasure eyther of prince or people. For this is requyred by the worde of the Lorde of euerye one, that we beleue in our harts to iustification, and confesse with our mouthes the Lorde Iesus to our saluation. Rom. 10.9.10. 2. Tim. 1.8. 2. Tim. 4.16. And Paule exhorteth Bishop Tymothy, not to be ashamed to confesse Christ. And in the same Epistle he chargeth his compani­ons to haue forsaken him, in that they did not assist him at his fyrst answere, and bicause it was an horrible sinne, he prayeth GOD it be not layde to their charge. Nowe as it is proper to the Scripture,Psalm. 1. to compare a Christian, by and to a virident trée, in sundry places. We may safely set this difference betwene Ioseph and Nicodemus, and all the Nicodemitans in these tymes. Ioseph and Nicode­mus were gréene branches, faste grafted by the mercifull hand of the Fathers election,Iohn. 15.1. into the virident Vine Christ Iesus, whose branches hauing lesse sap of his spirituall ope­ration at the fyrst, and for a tyme hauing more knurres of carnal corruption. The mayster of the Orchard, the hea­uenly father, proyned them daylye more and more by his louing spirite, so that as they contynued in his profession [Page] from the fyrst hower to the ende: Euen so in verye shorte tyme they became so fruitfull, that they were found more profyitng, then they which did beare the prayse before them: As you haue heard, when Christe his daylie Disci­ples shranke from him, and some contrarye their honest promise denyed him in his owne hearing, then these bran­ches gaue forth the fruite of their increase in God. They stoode fast in Christ and that openly, that the princes and people might knowe them, to belong to the ignominious (but yet glorious) and crucified Christ. This was the ende of their former studie, and argued a continuall going for­warde in godlynesse. And if you measure your tyme of schooling with theirs, you cannot but blushe to challenge them for your Patrons. For in thrée yeres they so profi­ted, that they confessed Christ before kings and men, not regarding losse of lyfe, lands, goods, or whatsoeuer might befall: yea, and that in the sharpest hower of Christe hys persecution.Nicodemi­tans defined. The Nicodemitans (that is to say such persons as skant crept from some part of Popery, can be drawne no further to truth) were séeming branches I graunte, of the Vine Christ, if outward shewe might warrant them, but such whose virident lyfe is nowe gone, and they are bicause not grafted in him, decaying and departing from euill to worse, and as they were earnest, and are nowe neyther hote nor colde, which is a daungerous state. So not long fed with the lyuely sap of Gods spirite,Apo. 3.16. they become more and more wythered, and cannot with their supposed fellowe branches, bring forth eyther fruite in increase, or yet so muche as in tymes past they haue done, for that they haue by fleshlye perswasion of credite to themselues, Quenched the spirite of God in them: 1. Tess. 5.19. Mat. 13.6. so as in tyme of per­secution, they flatly fall awaye, as thorowly wythered, when the encreasing Ioseph standeth the brunte in bolde­nesse, by the spirite that groweth in him. But the ende of these men is (sayth Christ the Lorde of truth) to be cut off and cast into the fyre. O Englande, Englande,Iohn. 15.6 be not de­ceyued, [Page] thou hast bene a scholler with Ioseph, Englande enioying the Gospell full xx. yeares, remayneth yet retchlesse & ignorant. Simeon, and Nicodemus, not three yeares, but by tymes fortie yeares, in the schoole of Christ, and nowe these last twenty yeares contynually without intermission or play daye, hast thou vnder her graces Maiestie, and most happy gouernment, bene vertuouslye and aboundantly taught in purenesse of doctrine? But how art thou encreased? Howe followest thou Ioseph, Simeon, and Nicodemus? Truely euen as the shadowe doth the sunne. For the shadowe runneth as fast as he, but neuer higher then the earth, euen so we runne and poste with spéede, but still vpon the earthly minds of grosse fantasies, and therein counteruayle we the sunne, which swiftly runneth in the Heauen, to his appoynted course.Heb. 5.12. We are come to this encrease, that when for tyme we should be apt to receyue stronger meate, we are not able to digest the dyet of Infantes, which is sucking mylke. When Paule, vz Gods teachers by doctrin in truth, should leade vs further into perfection, we crye out still, we are Iosephs, Heb. 6.1.2 we are Nicodemitans, we are not yet past the doc­trine of the beginning of Christ, the foundation of repen­tance from deade works, of fayth towards God, &c. We al­so abuse this sentence of Paule. Heb. 5.14 Strong meate belongeth to them that are of age, which through long custome haue their wyts exercised to discerne both good and euill. So we confesse there are a people, to whome more perfection be­longeth, but we kéepe our selues from that number. For we (the Ministers) can scarcely in the Country get our people to come to the beginnings of Religion, so much as to send their seruants to learne the apointed Catechisme. But if age should breed perfection, are wée not older in the Gospell then Ioseph was? Haue not we vnder the gospell (synce K. H. dayes) past the yeares, which ouer ranne the Hebrewes (after Christ his death) before this Epistle was written vnto them?Centu. 1. lib. 2. 10. Yes verily, for it was written by the author therof, as it séemeth from Rome, about. 25. yeres after Christs death. And if custome could doe it, [Page] how conuersant haue the scriptures bene with our wittes nowe this ninetéene yeres together? And if in thrée yeres Ioseph and Nicodemus became so strong, how can we for shame say, we are lyke to them, which in nintéene yeres are (in the bowels of this long taught lande) not able for the most parte, to giue a reason of our fayth and hope. And the better sort of vs are euen rather staying from farther, then standing fast to that wee haue. We be lesse louing, more colde then we haue bene. It may be said of England as the Stories report of the Iewes, who when they came to Ierusalem,Nehe. 4.17. by the commaundement of Cyrus King of Persia, the were so whote in buylding the decayed Citie, that they (beset with enimies) helde their weapons in the one hande, and laboured with the other. Beholde feare of the enimy could not driue them from the Lords labor. And when the Samaritanishe ypocrites offered to helpe them, they were so zealous, that though they hungred the fynish­ing of the worke, yet would they not admit an hypocrites hande, to touch the buylding of the Lorde. And when they were complayned vpon, and subtyle deuises made to stay their labors, they contynued their buylding styll (manger the enimy) euen as the king had commanded them. But after a tyme of rest, they began euerye man to buylde vp his owne house, and let the house of God lye vnfynished xvij. yeres, tyll the Prophete was sente to Zorobabell the Prince, and Iohosua the high Priest,Hag. 1.1. to excite them to their increase in former labour. And is it not so with England? In the first of hir Maiesties raigne, how vehemently, how zealously,A generall decrease (in respect) in England. how diligently laboured we to repayre the de­cayed Church in England? It was a heauen to see princely Péeres & Noble bloods, prouoke the multitude to imbrace the Gospell. Popery was beaten downe, her broode remo­ued, and Gods true Ministers placed, Idolatry extinguy­shed, and the Churches beset with the Sacrifice of the Gos­pell, which whote beginning, hath of the sodaine receyued [Page] such a coole, as we are now wholy giuen to the buylding of costly bowres and houses of pleasure. But as for Gods house, eyther in our own soule, or the common Catholique Church, we commit it to y^e reuerend Bishops, & Ministers of God (except a reserued séede) which ioyne with Noble Nehemias, Zorobabel and Esra, to assist our most Christian Cyrus, the principall Nourcing mother to Gods children this daye in all christian landes, in the redifying of Gods house in our dayes, whose gracious beginning with good progresse hytherto, the Lorde hath prosperously blessed, his name be praysed therfore, whose harte the Lord yet more and more inflame in him, and direct by his holy spirit con­tynually. And to many of our Fathers and Brethren of the Clargy, we may say as the spirite spake to the Angell and Church at Ephesus. These things sayth he that holdeth the seauen starres in his right hande, Apo. 21.2.3. &c. & walketh in the midst of the seauen golden Candlesticks, I know thy works & thy labour and thy pacience, and howe thou canst not forbeare them which are euill, and hast examined them which saye they are Apostles, and are not, and hast founde them lyers. And thou was burdened & hast pacience, Apo. 2.1.2.3. &c. and for my names sake hast laboured, and hast not faynted. Neuerthelesse, I haue somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy fyrst loue. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the fyrst workes: Or else I will come against thee shortly, and will remoue thy Candlesticke out of hys place, except thou amende. The Iewes from Key cold per­sons, became hote and cruell enimies, so that in whose de­fence they stood to their great perill at the fyrst: once ma­king stay of their increase, they thrust the sworde into his bowels. For they fell from God, they crucified his sonne, and tooke the Regiment of his Church into their handes, excommunicating and murthering his Apostles, Disci­ples, and whomsoeuer confessed his name. But their ende was desolation by the iust iudgement of God, yet so as he [Page] forewarned them by his sonne Christ, called them to re­pentance by his Apostles, contynued his power of salua­tion to them, to saye his holy Gospel during fortie yeares. But when they contynued more and more obstinate and rebellious, hauing hartes past féeling, he gaue them and their City Ierusalem, into the hands of the Romans, Vespa­sian and Titus, being the Rod of his anger, for their vtter destruction, that they which woulde not receyue Christ comming in his fathers name, (of whom they much brag­ged) should by his iudgement receyue them, which came in their owne names, for their priuate glorye and earthly commoditie. For the Romane Deputies, partly by eager auarice, partly by cruel oppression, gréeuously vexed them. And the Iewes dreaming styll of a delyuerer (whome they imagined to be some Noble warriour) were redy to run with euery Traytor, that would lift vp his heade, & take to himselfe the Tytle of Messias. In the which seditions, euer they had the worse (as reason is such should) and ma­ny thousandes of them were slayne. But when no other­wayes they would be pacified, the Romane power was sent with Commission vtterly to destroy them. Wherto was Vespasian sent, who began his warres in Galilea, committing to fyre and sworde all that was before hym. From thence he came to Ierusalem, and by the Souldiours in that siege chosen Emperour, he went to Rome, & com­mitted the warres of the Iewes to his sonne Titus, which Titus lyke a vigilant Gouernour behaued himselfe, & left not the slaughter, til he had fulfilled the prophecy of Christ to that Citie. He cast a banck about it, hauing 30. Castles or Turrets in it,Luke. 19. from whence he battered downe the Ci­tie, he compassed them on euery side, finally he destroyed them and their children. For the Lord by him caused the hunger to be such, as the mothers were compelled to kyll, roste, broyle, and eate their owne borne children. He raced the Citie downe to the ground, and so of that most floorish­ing [Page] Citie,Iosephus de bel. Iud. 6.14. the Flowre and Diamonde of the East, he left no more but a smale Monumente to the posteritie of the Romans ouer so strong a defenced Bulwarke. That is to say thrée Towers, called Phaselus, Hyppinus and Mari­amnes, with parte of the West wall. The men which es­caped, were for the most part taken prisoners, and most of them after, eyther solde to base bondage, or were for the pleasant prospect of the Romans, cast vnto wylde beastes in their publique sportes to fight and be deuoured. These things came to them in déede, but are written for oure sakes, 1. Cor. 10.6. that both Prince, Potentate, Prelacie and people, should be terrifyed hereby. As also the Church of Ephesus is a notable example for the Church of England to be­holde. That Church sometime most honorable, but now most horrible, wrapped in the Dungeon of Turkishe Pa­ganisme. God cannot in iustice but plague in seueritie, the backslyding from his word. And that doth he in two sorts. 1 First, he gyueth such degenerating children the spirit of Delusion,2. Tes. 2.11 that they should beleeue lyes to their damnation, which would not receyue the Truth to their Saluation, when it was sent them: And also he giueth them to their owne harts concupiscence, the same to satisfie in most fyl­thy lusts, that not only God, but nature it selfe shall be despised.Rom. 1.21.22.23.24.25.26.27. For men against themselues, and women and men against the vse of Nature shall defyle themselues most filthily. A heauy iudgement. 2 The second is his sword of Destruction, vtterly to throw downe and bring to no­thing, the power and persons of disobedient backslyders. His iudgements hereto are as it pleaseth him, sometimes greater, sometime lesse: Sometimes by sencelesse crea­tures, sometimes by the Heauens, sometimes by men of might in the earth, Frogs, Flyes, and Lyce, darknesse, blood and Caterpillers,Psal. 78. and fynally the raging Seas shall ouerthrow the Egiptians, which were great persecutors of the people of God. The Wyndows of heauen shal open [Page] and drowne the whole worlde, which would not repente,Gen. 7.11. but growe into worse and worse. Vespasian and Romane Titus shall vtterly subuert the hard harted Ierusalem. E­phesus shall yéelde his obedience to his destroying enimy, which would not returne to his former loue Iesus Christ, and the zeale of his Gospel. The Angels Candlestick, the Church and the Ministery shall be cast out,Apoc. 2. and Mahomet and Sergius shall occupy their function and place. O Eng­land, loue, loue, loue, and feare. Feare God as thy father, kysse and embrace his sonne thy Christ and consolation,Psal. 2.12. least he being angry, cause thée to feare, when thou doest féele his terrible iudgements, by which thou shalt perishe, if his anger be kyndled, yea but a little. Returne to thy first loue, and do thy fyrst works, else wil he come shortly, as he sayth to Ephesus, which argueth that he is ready. Wherfore repent: yea, though the most, in countenance of the best, neglect the loue of God, yet know that Symeon and Ioseph doe expect the kingdome of God, and Consola­tion of Israel. And such onely haue the spirite of God in them, as had these holy men, by which they are trayned al­wayes to the presence of Christ, & approued his seruants. These shall not sée death, tyll they haue in hart by the eyes of their fayth, ioyfully séene Iesus, to be the lighte of the Gentyls, and the glory of Israell, Iohn. 17.2 Esa. 9.2. and the saluation by the Lorde, set for the whole saluation of God. Last of all, thys is worthy to be thought vpon, that Symeon is brought by the Spirite of Gods motion into the Temple, at the very instant, when Christ is thether brought to be offred to the Lorde, and that al things there were done according to the Lawe.1. Sam. 9.16 Psal. 31.15. Luke. 1.8. Iohn. 17.1. Ephe. 1.10. Mar. 14.41 The worldlings would thinke this to come by chance, but the Euangelist sayth, he was ledde thyther by the holy ghost. For it is God which doth with his general prouidence behold all things, and guydeth euery mans actions to his appointed season, and the very moment of tymes, he directeth to his seuerall worke at his good plea­sure. [Page] By this heauenly prouidence, and not by chaunce, came the seruant of Abraham to the Citie of Nahor, Gen. 24. in that momente of tyme, when Rebecca came out of the Citie to water hir cattle,Gods pro­uidence guy­deth as and our actions, not blynde chance. and for this cause did God bring forth that Mayde at the same instant, that by this occasion she might bring the manne to her father, by whom shée should be sent to Isaac for his wyfe. And Saule went to séeke his fathers Asses, but the Lorde brought him to Sa­muel the Prophet, which did expect that hower his com­ming.1. Sam 9.16. For the Lorde had by Oracle tolde Samuel, that he would sende Saule vnto him, and that he should annoynte him king of Israel. Dauid was brought hereby into the battle,1. Sam. 17. what houre the great Gyant Golyath did vaunt himselfe in blasphemy against the Lorde, and by which meanes he might be brought to that fight, which the Lord had foreappointed for him, to the glory of God, the victori­ous fame of Dauid, and the ioy of Israell. By this guyde came the Wydowe of Naim to the gates of the Citie,Luc. 7.12. with her dead sonne to buriall, at that moment when Christ entred the gates of that Citie, and was by him re­stored to lyfe. And by this is holy prouydence, are our Fa­thers gone before vs, and we not borne vntyll this age of the worlde, wherein he hath appoynted his sonne Christe to be more amply reuealed by the preaching of his worde, then at any tyme he hath bene since y^e Apostles tyme. This only remayneth, that with hart and will, by the motion of his holy spirite, we ioyntly enter our Churches, where Ie­sus Christ is graciously offred, not into our armes, but into our harts and soules, not in a body subiect to myseries and death, but in the Maiestie of his worde, which is his eter­nall power, Rom. 1.16. 1. Cor. 1.18 to bring vs by his light to that saluation assu­red in him, and to engraffe quyetnesse in Conscience, per­swaded in his truth by the testimony of his sayde spirite, of the full forgyuenesse of our sinnes. That we shall with newe raysed hartes, as men risen from a most déepe Dun­geon [Page] of death, most ioyfully with Symeon syng and saye, in heart and truth: Lorde nowe whensoeuer thou callest vs from this naturall lyfe,1. Cor. 1.30 Ephe. 1.7. Mat. 20.28. at thy good pleasure thou lettest vs departe to quiet rest, in christian peace. For the eyes of our fayth haue and doe sée Christ Iesus, and receyue hym as he is to vs in mercy giuen, our onely raunsome and full matter of our spirituall health and celestiall ioy, to whom with thée our best father, and the holy spirite, be praise and glory for euer and euer. Amen.

Thus much receyued by the Gospels wordes touching Symeon, nowe let vs lende eare attentiuely vnto the words deliuered vs in this his ioyful song. Thus he sayth.

This olde holye fathers song, conteyneth shorte wordes and long matter, wherein he giueth the Lorde his due praise by publique spéeche, in ioyed hart, and after the ex­ample of the former church, for the present benefite recey­ued, according the faythfull promise of God (that he hath not departed to his Fathers, before he sawe the Lordes Christ) he singeth the Lords truth, and blaseth the honora­ble armes of our Captaine Christe, manifesting his po­wer, efficacie and glory, in this his pithy encomia. That done, he setteth downe the perfite platforme of a quyet cō ­science, and the ancor of her health, in the middle of many miseries, in his owne person saying: Now Lorde all if by the Romaine Tyranny, thy people of Israell haue béene sore oppressed, our fayth sore assaulted, so that twixt hope and sorrow, we haue wayted for Consolation in thy pro­mise: Now that thou hast giuen vs thy Christ our glory. I ioy so much in him my Sauiour, that death shall be to me welcome, and my departure shall be in peace, bicause by this Christ my Consolation, Gods wrath to me is paci­fied, my syns in him pardoned, my selfe for him of my [Page] heauenly father dearely beloued, and my soule shall rest in ioy, for I am thy seruant, wherfore Now let me I praye thee departe in peace, I am satisfyed that I haue séene thée, and the dayes of my age are in thy hande. But whereas Symeon sayth: Lorde Nowe doth thy mercy let me departe in peace, he plainely sheweth, that vntill he perfitely had the fruition of his hope, he was in auxietie and griefe, and walked with a heauie harte for the affliction of Israell. This argueth not an absolute weakenesse of fayth in Fa­ther Symeon, but rather expresly an ardent expectation of the promise of God, nothing pleasured with the forreine matters of this lyfe, albeit they should abounde to hym. But by trauaile in fyght, against temptations in worldly pleasures, he hungreth and spiritually thirsteth in approo­ued hope, the Lords promise, enduring the griefe of pre­sent oppression, assuredly by fayth to reape the rewarde of his pacient hope, bicause he had the worde of God (a most faythfull Norice therto) for his warrante.1. Pet. 2.2. For thus sayde the Lorde by Reuelation to Symeon. Thou shalt not dye, before thou hast seene the Messias Christ the Lorde. Luc. 2.26. Note here (good Reader) the nature of Gods promises giuen to his chosen children. They are not performed at the first houre, but they are deferred longer then our selues would desyre, and they are not performed till the fayth of the par­ties be perfitly prooued, and by the opposite occurrents sore exercised.

God the Father promised the comming of his beloued sonne Christ (here imbraced of Symeon) at the fall of A­dam and Heuah, Gene. 3. Gen. 22.18 Gal. 3.8. Esa. 64.1. Mat. 13.16 Luk. 10.24. and renewed it to Abraham, and by hys Prophets continued the same, but the time prolonged, for­ced many of the best fathers to cry: Oh that thou wouldest pierce the heauens and come downe, and to say: Oh Lorde sende thy glory vnto Syon, and thy sauing health vnto Ieru­salem. And as our Christ doth testifie, many kings and Pro­phets haue desyred to sée Christ, and haue not séene him, or [Page] could the times enioy the performance of this promise, till the fulnesse of time by him set were come,Heb. 1.1. and that by con­trary presumptions, the fayth of his chyldren were tho­rowly exercised. But when the tyme by his deuine wise­dome appointed was come, then did he faythfully giue the same Messias into the worlde, that Symeon and the godlye then might beare wytnesse to vs his children nowe, of his euerlasting faythfulnesse. In this worde (Nowe) lyeth an Emphasis, as if he had sayd: The worde of my promise hath fed my fayth, & stablished my hope, to wayte for thys our consolation Christ: and sythe in thy mercy thou hast performed the word of truth: Now let me depart in peace. Here is to be well marked the force of true and lyuely fayth, it doth persist in one, it resteth vpon the promise of the worde,The force of true fayth. albeit that heauen and earth should séeme to runne on heaps together. This is that most excellent gift of God, that excelleth al vertues in whatsoeuer man.Ephe. 3.17 Pray the Lorde therefore to giue thée fayth in Christ (christian Reader) and Christ thereby to dwell in thée, then shalt thou abyde stedfast in hope, after the worde of Gods pro­mise, whatsoeuer obstact shal arise against thée. The Lord by his seruant Moyses promised the Israelits delyuerance out of the bondage of Egypt.Exod. 4.29.30.31. But straight wayes wyth this promise arose such presumptions to the contrary (as the hardnesse of Pharaos hart and cruelty their oppression, and more labor thereby, their sharpe correction for wants in worke, and in the hower of their deliuerance, his huge army persecuting them on the one syde, & the high Moun­taynes and swallowing Seas to hold them in on the other syde) that it might haue séemed to Israel, Moyses warrant from God, to haue bene rather a dreame of their desolati­on, then the day of their delyuerance. But they (by this spirite confirmed in fayth) did suppresse the present cala­mities by the Ancor of hope, which from the shyp of their beléeuing consciences, in these terrible Seas tossed, they [Page] cast & fyrmely pitched, vpon the worde of promise, which thus they had: vz I will in a mightye hande, and outstret­ched arme delyuer you. Whose pacient perseuerance, the same Iehouah approoued, when moste tryumphantly he caused the senceles seas, in the faithfull answere of his mer­ciful promise, to obey his voice in the mouth of a man (far inferiour to Pharaoh) at whose commaundement they be­came against their nature seruiceable to his people:Exo. 14.21. for they reared themselues as a loftie wall on either side, and the sincking sandes were turned into a most firme ground and pleasaunt gréene path,Hebr. 11.29. for the Israelites safetie, in this their moste miraculous passage. After whose a­riuall on the other shore, the saide Sea did returne to her former course, and in the sight of the Hebrewes, gaue to the Egiptiacall Tiranny, his iust rewarde by the hand of God, which herein drowned Pharaoh and all his host. And (déere Reader) thou hast no lesse promise,Exo. 14.27.28. but much grea­ter to thée, being a christian Israelite: Namely that by faith y^u shalt be deliuered from the power of spiritual Pharaoh, the power of darkenes,Col. 1.13. Rom. 3.24. & bée translated into the kingdome of the Sonne of God, in whom thou shalt be iustified, and shalt haue forgiuenes of thy sinnes, shalt be at peace with God, shalt haue Christ thy sanctification, iustification, and redemption. 1. Cor. 1.30. Thy Lord, thy peace, thy saluation, thy light, and thy glorie. Thy selfe shalt approch the throne of grace with quiet conscience, beholden of the father for his blessed and therefore beloued sonne, for a citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem,Ephe. 2.19 Rom. 8.17 an heire of that kingdome, yea a fellowe heire with Christ Iesus. And this is that peace, which Symeon felt and saw with the eies of his faith, when hée saide, hée now went to his Fathers in peace. But euerie opinion receiued in or of Christ, is not this regenerating fayth.

There is a fayth attributed to the Deuils. The Deuils beleeue (saith S. Iames) but they tremble and quake. Iam. 2.19. There [Page] is a faith said to be in the hypocrits of the earth: but Iames calleth that a dead faith. And Paule to Timothy, Iam. 2.17. Fides fic­ta, a fained faith, a faith all one with the Diuels: and of some called an historicall fayth. Iames ioyning them to­gether, saieth of them thus, speaking to the counterfeite Christian. Thou delightest in thy selfe, and takest pride herein, that thou art perswaded that there is but one God, and the same thou holdest for thy God, against the error of Paganisme, which defend many Gods: Thou doest this right, and hereby thou doest farre excell them, but yet art not thou ascended one step from the Deuils fayth, who be­léeueth euen as much, and that Iesus Christ is the holye sonne of God also, and the Redéemer of the world. But in that he beléeueth God, and Christ to be God, and cannot beléeue in God, that is as Augustine hath it, to loue God, and to walke in his feare with obedience, they do al trem­ble at this name, as the théefe before the Iudge, and so do Hypocrites, which haue but fictam fidem, a fayned fayth. Let no man obiect that the godly also doe feare God. For it is easily answered, their feare in God is coupled wyth fayth and loue in GOD, with hope and perseuerance in constant faythfulnesse, and obedience to his worde. But in Deuils, in wicked men, and in hypocrits, there is nothing but feare and desperation. For as they beléeue, they loue not, they obey not wyllingly, wherfore wanting his Spi­rite, they haue no boldnesse, they hope not, but feare, and looke for his anger, not for his mercy, bicause they cannot but be most cruell, against his beloued members.

But the fayth which Symeon and all the iuste haue in God and Christ, is not [...] an opinion,True fayth descrybed. which lea­neth to one parte, yet so as he standeth something doubt­full of his side, but it is [...], so fyrme & stable, so sure an assente, and consent to the worde of truth, by the wor­king of the holy ghost, that no doubt can driue vs from our, Ancor holde in Christ. And this gracious fayth is the gift [Page] of God, which by the bright beames of his truth, in his ho­lye spirite, doth not onely shyne and presse into our harts, the worde of our saluation and fayth in Christ, but doth enflame and transforme them, and maketh them of an old substance a newe creature, that thus knowing God, they loue him as their father, they worship and honor him as God, they tremble at his worde, least they offende such a most louing father, they walke in his statuts and ordinan­ces to doe them, and put their whole truste in hym, and in the worde of his truth, though their synne, their conscience and Satans malice doe accuse them: yea, though infynite temptations, to the contrary of Gods louing fauour do as­sault them. As that their synnes might alter his good pur­pose, or that their weaknesse in fayth might chaunge hys mynde and loue towards them, yet (hauing this promise by Symeon. 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Pe [...]. 2.24.25. Heb. 9.12. Christ is our peace, our light, our saluation, our glory, by Paule our sanctification, iustification, and re­demption, by Peter our Byshop and high Priest, by whose strypes we be made whole, by the Epistle to the Hebrewes, our sacrifice which once for all offred, hath founde eternall redemption, Hebr. 10.26. 1. Ioh. 2.2. after whose Oblation, there remayneth no more offering for sinne. Finally, our Mediator and Aduo­cate, and the full reconciliation for our sinnes, and the sinnes of the whole worlde) yet I say notwithstanding such for­mer assaultes, these present promises doe seale vs vp, and we conclude by our fayth in Christ, after the assured word giuen vnto vs, in the Pen of Paule. There is no condem­nation to them which bee grafte in Christ Iesus, Rom. 8.1. which lyue not after the fleshe, but after the spirite, and we be so stabli­shed by hope, that tryumphantly we stande the accusation of Synne,Rom. 8.33 34. Satan and Hell, saying: It is God which iusti­fyeth, who can condemne? It is he that is dead: yea, but which is rysen from death, is set at the right hande of God, and maketh intercession for vs, his spirite teacheth vs to pray, and in vs doth worke effectuall suspiration, and sup­plications, [Page] with hope to receyue moste certainly the loue of God, and in this manner with Symeon, Ioseph of Ara­mathea, and the rest of Gods elect, we daylie wayte for and expect with pacience, the redemption of our bodyes, Rom. 8.23 Luc. 21.28 that is the day of the last Resurrection. And this our liue­ly fayth, hath this loue so conioyned in vs, that we do loue our Christ, bicause he loueth vs first, and walke in the ef­fects therof before him and our brethren,1. Iohn. 4.10. through the same his loue, and therefore also tryumphantly against Satan, Sinne, Pope, and Hell, Desperation and Death, we say in hart: Who shal seperate vs from the loue of Christ, shall oppression, shall extremitie, shall persecution, famishment, Rom. 8.35 nakednes, perill or sworde (as it is written, For thy sake are we al day slayne and brought as sheepe to the slaughter) but in all these we are more then conquerors, in and by him that loueth vs. So are we with Paule perswaded, that neyther death, nor lyfe, Aungell, principalitie or potentats, neyther things present or to come, neyther things aboue, or yet be­lowe, or any other creature can seperate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde. And this is that our fayth, which is farre differente from the Iewes, con­demneth the Pagans, conuinceth the Papists of Heresie, and apprehendeth Christ Iesus, which is our peace, our saluation, our light and eternall glory.

Further note here, that as this christiā faith is not with­out these workes of hope and loue: So doe we learne that they procéede of fayth, as they whose nature cannot be se­perate from the same. We are iustifyed by fayth (sayth Paule) and therefore haue peace with God by Christ, Rom. 5.1. by whome we haue accesse by Fayth into that grace where­in we stande, and glorye in the hope of the glorye of God:Fayth hath two daugh­ters, Hope and Loue. Beholde the Apostle doth playnely affirme vs to haue ac­cesse to God, and peace in him, & the hope of glory by fayth in Christ. But more playnely to the Ephesians saying: We haue accesse in hope which is by fayth. Ephe. 3.12. Here is hope [Page] sayde to be conceyued of the spirite, and borne of fayth. That Charitie also is borne of her, as her second daugh­ter,1. Tim. 1.5 Paule to Timothy doth wytnesse thus. The ende of the commaundement is loue, out of a pure harte, and of a good conscience, and of fayth vnfayned. And how can it be, but loue of force must procéede of fayth. For thereby we be­holde the Lorde our God, to be our best, good, most migh­tie, wise, and best belouing father, in whose loue he hath giuen vs his onely begotten sonne to dye for vs, and wyth him hath giuen vs all things. Howe cannot (I saye) then this Charitie to breake out of vs, in floodes of loue to oure good God, and elect brethren for him in euery such office, as the rules therof requyreth at our hands? But still obserue this for their order. Fayth is the Noble parent, the daugh­ter of Gods holy worde, whose father is Gods spirite, be­gotten in the bed of a christian harte, and hope is the fyrst Daughter of fayth,Eph. 17. expecting the fruite of Gods faythfull promise, and cannot be drawne from her mother, bicause she is holden by the holy ghost, nor thrust down to distrust or doubtfulnesse, for that she is sustayned in her mothers lappe, the most assured fayth in God. And loue is the laste daughter and of longer contynuance. For when the mo­ther and her elder Sister shall giue ouer their office, ha­uing attayned their rewarde and promise, this vertuous loue in the saints of God shall neuer cease, 1. Cor. 13.13. but contynue in the heauens with them for euer. And thus hath loue of vs her due commendation, but so as she is set orderly in her besytting place, against the cauils of al Papists & Atheists whatsoeuer. Further, to thée which art an olde man, our aged Symeon standeth a perfite patterne to follow. That not thy gray heares, but thy graue and godly conuersation may with him approoue thée in the house of God, a manne venerable and worthy regarde.A Lesson to olde men. His steps to lead thée, are his fayth in Christ, his feare in GOD, his godly lyfe, his loue to his Countrie, and his desyre to departe these mise­rable [Page] dayes at the wyll and worde of God. But in his godly lyfe, th [...]e is by the Euangelist set downe for great and chiefe, that he followed his guyde the holye Ghost. O ye olde fathers whose gray heads doe sommon your toyled Soules to the Tribunall seate of God, take care that ye follow Symeons trace, in the obedience to Gods holye spi­rite. For they alone are Gods children, Rom. 8.14 which are ledde by his spirite, and thereby doe mortifye and kyll the lustes of the flesh. It is ynough and tootomuch, that you haue spent the dayes of your youth after the wanton guyse of fleshlye lustes. Learne to say with Paule, when I was a chylde, 1. Cor. 13.11. Psal. 19.12 13. Eph. 24 7 I did as a chylde, but now I am a man, I haue cast away childish­nesse. Pray with holy Dauid: O Lord forgiue me the rebel­lion of my youth, & lay not my presumptuous syns against me. Reioyce with Sophocles, that Nature hath bidde adue, to the fleeting feates of fleshly affects. Cast away whore­dome and lasciuious delights,A Christi­an cautar. and aboue all delight not in thy former euils, but reprooue thy selfe in them,Ephes. 5.11 and con­demne thy hart for them. Ioy in God, and begge earnestly for repentance at his hands,Luk. 15.21 and aske mercy with the pro­digall sonne for thy wasting dayes past thee. Defye the re­ceypt of Satans baytes, which now (that Nature cannot ruffle as to fore) do enflame thy hart with conceypt of fry­uolous and fylthy ioy, for the euill done déede so long time paste.Eph. 4.29 Let no fylthy communication proceede out of thy mouth, nor haue thou anye fellowship with the workes of darknesse, but rather reproue them, For so shalt thou be learned in Christ. Be not so farre from the duety of an olde christian Father, that a Heathen, though a cyuill na­turall man, may well condemne thée.A notable and pythie saying of Cicero. Fylthy lustes (sayth Cicero) is hatefull to gréene dayes, but most odyous to gray heares, as of which commeth two pestilente euilles: It bréedeth common crye of shame and dishonor to the a­ged,Eccle. 9.25.2. and their example giueth beastly boldnesse to youth­full intemperance. There be three things (sayth the wyse [Page] man) that God hateth. A pore man that is prowde, a ryche man that is a lyar, and an olde Adulterer that doteth. The Preacher Ecclesiastes, Eccle. 11.9. derydingly sayth to a yong manne (which olde men are in wisedome to recorde) Reioyce in thy youth, let thine harte cheere thee, walke in the wayes of thyne harte, and in the sight of thine eyes: But knowe that for al these things God will bring thee to iudgement. Doctrine for yong Gallants. Ther­fore take away griefe out of thyne harte, and cause euill to depart from thy fleshe, for chyldhood and youth are vanity. Hereto shall it much profite you, you elder fathers, if with Symeon ye enter the Temples of God, where hys worde is daylie preached, his graces exhibited, and sealed to you in his Sacraments. Where (with the iust) your contynuall prayers shall be acceptable, and receyuing fruite in Christ. Where shall this counsell of the Lorde be giuen you, to your eternall good, forth of his holy word. Remember now thy Creator, Eccle. 12.1. &c. whylst the euill dayes come not, nor the yeres approche, wherein thou shalt say: I haue no pleasure in them. A little after: when the keepers of the house (vz the hands of the body) shal tremble, and the strong men (that is the legges) shal bowe themselues, and the grynders (the téeth) shal cease, bicause they are fewe, & they waxe darke (vz the eyes) that looke out by the Wyn­dowes. And the dores (lyppes or mouth) shal be shut with­out by the base sounde of the grynding (that is, when the the chawes shall scarce be able to open) and he shal ryse vp at the voyee of the byrde (namely he cannot sléepe halfe the night) and al the daughters of synging (that is the wynde pypes or deafnesse of eares) shal be abased. Also they shal be afrayde of the high thing (euery thresholde shall be hard to stryde ouer) and feare shal be in the way (the Palsye shal cause the bones to tremble) and the Almonde tree (that is the gray heade) shal floorishe, and the Grashopper (that is the least weyght) shal be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away, for man goeth to the house of his age (euen [Page] to his graue) and the Mourners goe aboute in the streete, whyles the syluer corde is not lengthened (meaning the Ma­row of the back bone of the synewes) nor the golden Ewer broken (the little skyn that couereth the brayne, which is in coulour lyke Golde) nor the Pitcher broken at the Well (that is the veyns at the lyuer not dissolued) nor the wheele broken at the Cesterne (that is, nor the head with the hart, from whence he draweth his powers of life, make an ende of their office) and duste returne to the earth as it was, & the spirite (note that the soule incontinentely goeth to ioye or tormente) to him that gaue it. Vanitie of vanities, sayth the preacher, all is vanitie. This moste excellent counsell, ye Noble Lords and louing Countrymen (whose yong daies are now, or already wel neare spent) shall you haue in the house and worde of God, contynually to your Christian consolation in Christ, by repentance and fayth in him, not onely to ioye with Symeon, but with the whole Church of God, to say most assuredly: Lord now lettest thou thy ser­uant depart in peace, &c.

Further consider (gentle Reader) that Symeon spea­keth here of naturall death, when he sayth he departeth in peace, and yet he calleth his death, not a destruction, but a departure. And a departure for thrée causes. 1 He departeth from this life, and hath no more fellowship with those that lyue on the earth, or they with him, as men with men to be benifited. 2 And also his soule departeth from his bodye for a season, and hath no more participation therewith, tyll the day of Resurrection, but this is also a departure, for the soule dyeth not with the bodye, but lyueth, bicause she is immortall. 3 Thirdly he departeth from the vally of misery, into the Mountayne of all ioy and felicitie, into the Hea­uens, there to raigne with God for euer. In assurance whereof, he concludeth his lyfe to depart in peace, saying: Now Lord thou lettest me depart in peace, but al this war­rant hath he from the spirite of God: wherefore he addeth [Page] according to thy worde. Eccle. 9.5.6. But as concerning the fyrst de­parture Ecclesiastes sayth. The deade (departed) know no­thing at all, neyther haue they any more a reward: For their remembrance is forgotten. Also their loue and their hatred, and their enuye is nowe perished, they cannot by their loue profite those left behinde them,No profite after death from the lyuing in earth. or yet by their hatred (had they any) doe them hurte. And they haue no porcion of all that is done vnder the sunne. This doctrine considered, the forged frame of popishe Purgatory must néeds fall out of our hartes. For if of those prayers, which daylie in popery be made for the deade, the departed haue no portion, howe vayne a thing is it, to imagine a purgatory, from whence our friends Soules are fetched, by our sundry déedes for them? As by Trentals, Diriges, Requiem, and restles Masses, Almes deedes, Popes pardons, and prayers for all christian soules, with Aue Maria Amen. Whose pelfe, yong babes can scoffe, and saye in these dayes. Come tye the Mare Tomboy. A cake, a cake for all christian soules, De profun­dis, Salue Regina Godfather. But if of these dead workes vnder the sunne done, the departed haue not their portion (as the spirite of God in this Canonicall Scripture sayth they haue not) how wicked an opinion is popery? Euen a damnable synke of most blasphemous false doctrine: At the hower of death he had his iudgement,Luc. 16.26.27.28.29.30.31. Diues is present­ly condemned to Hell, and Lazarus from sentence sent to Abrahams bosome, and thence cannot remoue, though the cryes of the dead be many, or the necessitie of teaching the lyuing neuer so great. They haue Moyses and the Pro­phets, Eccle. 11.3. sayth Father Abraham, let them heare them. And as the Tree falleth East or South, and so lyeth: Euen so as a man is founde by the spirite of God, at the houre of his death, so shall he be placed in the daye of his Resurrection, when the soule shall be revnited to his body. Thence forth in body and soule, for till that daye onely the soule hath the iudgements censure, to receyue the rewarde of their state [Page] in this mortall lyfe. And this is most fyrmely proued, by the words of our Sauyour in Iohn thus.Ioh. 5.28.29. The hower shall come, in the which al that are in their graues, shal heare his voyce, and they shal come forth that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of lyfe, but they that haue done euil, vnto the resurrection of condemnation. Marke well he sayth not they whose friends haue done well for them, they beyng dead: but he sayth, they which themselues haue done good, shall go to lyfe. Againe, he affirmeth the state of the dead to remayne alwaies one, and the selfe same that it was at the hower of death: For he sayth not, vnlesse their friends by their prayers, their deuotions, their déedes, and their other Pelfe, hath changed their condition synce death. But thus the Lorde of truth, which cannot lye Christ Iesus sayth. They, they, which haue done euil, and dye without his speciall gifte of repentance, they shal go to Hel. And thus shall the matter stand in the day of Iudgement, sayth Christ in the Gospell after saint Mathewe.Mat. 25.41. Departe from me yee curssed into euerlasting fyre, which is prepared for the Deuil and his Angels, for I was an hungry, & you gaue me no meate, &c. But percase they might aunswere, our friends gaue penny dole for vs, during the dayes of the worlde. But still this answere they shall haue. Departe from me ye curssed into Hell, you (I say you) gaue me no breade. O poore Papists forget not,Math. 25.1.2.3. &c. how that the Virgins which had no Oyle themselues, but hoped after Oyle of the wyser Virgins, were denyed, and had the gates of the Bridegrome shut vp against them. Séeke therefore by the Gospell of God, to nourishe thy fayth in Christ, by whom thou shalt be at peace with God, and in a most quyet con­science, thou shalt ende a godly lyfe, and make a ioyful de­parture. Otherwise, albeit thou haue the Popishe Oyle of all the Virgin Priests and saintes in the worlde, it can­not helpe thée, thy departure shall be the beginning of sor­rowe, and an absolute departure from God, his Aungels, [Page] Saints, and saued creatures, and shalt haue thy portion in the Hels for euer. Be not deceyued, beléeue the truth. God graunt thée with vs so to doe, and to lyue in truth all the dayes of thy lyfe, and in perfite departing from spirituall death, which is sinne and iniquitie. For after thy depar­ture here hence, thou shalt be as frée from the state of the lyuing, and the actes and déeds of them for thée, as the wic­ked & dead in sinne, are frée from righteousnesse, & estran­ged from the lyfe of God.

Secondly, we haue sayde that the soule is immortall, and therfore cannot dye. For the holy Scriptures do eue­rie where recorde it. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell (vz in graue sayth Dauid) neyther shall thy holye one see corruption. Psal. 16.8. As this Scripture serueth chiefely to Christ, so doth it to all other his members. Againe, the Preacher sayth, deuyding the soule and body a sunder. The bodye (sayth he) shal returne to dust from whence it came, but the soule to him that gaue it. Eccle. 12. And Christ Iesus sayth in Iohn: Verily, Ioh. 5.24. verily, I say vnto you, he that heareth my worde, and beleeueth in him that sent me, The soule sleepeth not with the bodye. hath eternall lyfe, and he shall not come into iudgement, but hath passed from death to life. This place as it most plainely prooueth the immortalitie of the soule, saying: He hath euerlasting life, he hath passed from death to lyfe (which cannot be once dreamed to bée spoken of the bodye, for that passeth from lyfe to naturall death, and to the sléeping graue.) So doth it refell those Heretiques, which eyther denie the immortalitie of the soule, or imagine the same to sleepe tyll the day of iudge­ment with the body. And to this ende serue the words of Paule. I desyre to be dissolued, and to be with Christ. But the Storie or Parable of Diues & Lazarus, Phil. 1.23. most lyuely ex­presseth the one & the other, Diues in body is sumptuously buried,Luc. 16. but his soule is presently in Hell in torments, and beholde he sléepeth not, for he féeling his terrible payne, is exercised in beholding the ioy of his late despised Lazarus, [Page] and calleth for succour, and maketh peticion for his Bre­thren which yet remayne a lyue, all which approoue the soule immortall, and not to sléepe a sencelesse death wyth the bodye. So the bodye of Lazarus cast in some Dytche or open Fielde, his soule by the ministrie of Angels,Math. 8.11 is ta­ken vp into Abrahams bosome, where he sléepeth not, but enioyeth the pleasant comforte of the Heauens. But pos­sible thou wouldst aske me then, howe these places can stande with those which affirme the soule to dye, and also say that the godly after death doe sléepe? As that soule that synneth shall dye. We confesse for answere, that the soule is not altogether immortall, as our God is, and not all subiect to death, & we confesse that there is a death where­with the wicked soule shall be ouerwhelmed, and so is the soule (but after a spirituall sorte) both mortall and immor­tall. The death of the soule, is when his lyfe is not in him:Mans soule mortall and immortall. the lyfe of the soule is Christ Iesus, by whose spirite the godly doe lyue in soule a lyfe to eternall lyfe. Of this lyfe speaketh Paule thus: I lyue, yet not I, Gal. 2.20. Colo. 3.3. 1. Iohn. 5.11.12. but it is Christ that lyueth in mee. And to the Colloss. Our lyfe is layde vp with God in Christ, when Christ which is our lyfe shall appeare, we shal appeare with him glorious. That soule that hath not Christ, hath not lyfe, but is already dead, though in bo­dye he lyueth. For the wrath of God abydeth vppon him. Vnderstande then, that this worde Death, is mente not of the substance of the soule, which cannot dye, but of her con­dition, which shall lye in the Lake of fyre and shall burne, and lyue for euer, which is called the Second death. Reuel. 20.14. Eph. 3.17. Ephe. 2.1. 1. Tym. 5.6. Tess. 4.13. By fayth Paule prayeth, that Christ may dwell in our harts, and affirmeth Christ by fayth to lyue in him. Ergo wythout fayth the soule is dead, lyuing in dead workes, and dead sinnes, as the vnprofitable Wydowes are deade in soule, though aliue in body. To the place of Paule where he sayth. He would not haue vs ignorant touching them which sleepe and such other places of scripture. We must interprete [Page] him to speake of the body and not of the soule, for as when the soule is ioyned with the bodye, he alwayes waketh, when y^e body taketh rest: So disioyned, much lesse he is said to sléepe. And the body is sayde to sléepe, not in respect that the soule lyeth deade or sléeping within him (for we haue prooued the soule to be with God) but in regarde of his ry­sing againe, when the soule shal returne to his former bo­dye at the day of iudgement. And by the sléepe of Death, he awayteth the retyre of his mortall lyfe, by the recon­iunction of his selfe soule and bodye sanctified in Christ, the lyfe of the bodye, with whome tyll then, the soules of the saints raigne vnder the Aulter in heauen, not sléeping but waking, and crying vpon God. How long Lorde holy and true, doest not thou iudge and auenge the blood of them that dwel on the earth? These were the soules of them sayth Iohn,Reue. 6. which lay vnder the Aulter (which is Christ) that were kylled for the worde of God, and for the testi­monie they maintayned. Beholde ye cruell Papistes, you haue killed the bodies, but the soules of our English saints are with their Protector Christ,Gen. 4.10 and their blood doth begge you vengeance if ye repent not.Abrahams Bosome. Thirdly, Symeon calleth Death but a departure, bicause for a tyme onely, the soule taking leaue of the massy fleshe, as we haue sayde, doth depart to the rest in peace, prepared for him in his consola­tion Christ: Namely the Bosome of his Father Abraham, which by Salomon is called the hand of God. Sapi. 3. Apo. 69. The soules of the righteous (sayth he) are in the hands of God, & the tor­ments of Hel doe not touch them. And by Iohn, the Hea­uens and the Aulter which is Christ, and by Christ Para­dise, as to the Théefe, saying on the Crosse. This day shalte thou be with me in Paradise. And in Mathewe, he descry­beth Abrahams seate to be in the kingdome of heauen.Luc. 23.43. Mat 8.11. Ioh. 14.23 And in Iohn our seates with him in the heauens, as in our Man­sion house. But neuer in the scriptures is the place of our deade godly fathers, called eyther Lymbus or Purgatory, [Page] but contrary they affirme there is no payne to them. And Purgatory hath the same paynes (the Papists which fayne that place say) that Hell hath: onely this is the difference, that they which be in Purgatory, shall come thence, by the merits of the Church and purging in fyre, & in Hell there is no redemption. Wherefore the godly fathers were not in Purgatory paynes, but in the handes of God, which is a Paradise of most pleasure. And whereas by the Apostle Peter, they go about to proue their Fathers Lymbo, as whence the soule of Iesus Christ brought them, that place doth neyther affirme the naturall Soule of Christ to go to Hell after his death on the crosse, or else that he did bring thence the soules of the fathers. For his spirite discending, left all those there which he found (not in a fayned Lymbo but in the paynefull Helles.) For thus sayth the Apostle. He suffred in the fleshe, but was quickned in the spirite, 1. Pet. 3.18.19.20. by the which he also wente and preached vnto the spirites that are in prison, which were in tymes paste disobedient in the dayes of Noah, &c. The Apostle sayth, not that Christ in his naturall Soule went downe into Hell, but he sayth that by that spirite which raysed him to life, he preached to them that are in prison. Nowe againe, he sayth not he fet­ched out the soules of the fathers, which were before hys comming in this prison, but he sayth his spirite preached vnto them that still are in prison. So farre from delyue­rie are they, that they as obstinate Rebelles remayne in their former tormentes. Nowe then the reason standeth thus. By what spirite Christ was raysed from the deade, by that same spirite he wente, or came to the spirites that are in prison: but Christe was raysed not by his owne soule, but by the deuine spirite of God (euen by the opera­tion of the father.) Therefore by his deuine power,Eph. 1.17.18. & not in his humaine soule, he came vnto the spirites that are in prison. Again note, it is one to say he delyuered the Gaole, and an other to saye, he made an exhortation to the priso­ners. [Page] This their alledged place (were it the soule of Christ) yet prooueth not a delyuerye, but a preaching to them, that now was that Sauiour borne, dead and cruci­fied for the redemption of the worlde, which by his spirite in the mouth of Noah (for one hundred and twenty yeares space) preached to the disobedient in his dayes, had they be­léeued. That it was not the soule of Christ which quickned Christ from death, but the Deuine power, these places approue.2. Cor. 13.4. Rom. 8.11. Althoughe he was crucifyed by infyrmitie, yet he (was raysed and) lyueth by the power of God. Againe: But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus to lyfe dwell in you, he that raysed Iesus from the deade, wil also quicken your mortal bodies, bicause his spirite dwelleth in you. And againe:Act. 4.10. Be it knowne to you al, and to the whole people of Israel, that by the name of Iesus of Nazareth, whom ye slue and hanged on high, whome God raysed vp from death, by this man standeth this person sound before you. To the Ro­maynes also we are commaunded to beleue in him, Rom. 4.14. which raysed Iesus Christ from death. And in the vj. chapter thus. As Christ is raysed vp by the glory of the father (where note, that not by the soule of Christ, but by God the father Christ was raysed vp) so let vs walke in a newe lyfe. And to the Ephesians.Ephe. 1.17 Alwayes in my prayers I praye for you, that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ, the father of glorye, might giue vnto you the spirite of wisedome, &c. And a lit­tle after, that ye may know what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saintes is, and what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes them that beleeue, according to the working of his mightye power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raysed hym from the deade, & set him on his right hande on heauenlye places. These places sufficiently expounde our Apostle, or rather assist his affirmation which sayth, that he suffred in the Fleshe, but was raysed in the spirite, that is, by the Godhead of the father, by which spirite in his deuyne na­ture, [Page] long before he had our humayne nature vpon him, he by his Prophetes taught the inobedient then, as by vs his Apostles (sayth Peter) he preacheth to you in that spi­rite at this present. Yea, and also to the verye damned in the Hels, (no doubt) at the death of Christ, by the deuyne power of his holye spirite, was the glory of his crosse ope­ned to their greater condemnation, which contemned their saluation in him, as the godlye fathers and their sa­cred bodyes in great comforte, by his power were raysed sundry from their brethren, to testifye the glory of this our crucifyed Christ, raysed vp by his father, and set vp wyth him in glory. Adde to this, this place of Peter is so farre from warrante to that Popishe opinion, that the soule of Christ, fetched forth y^e soules of the godly fathers Adam, &c. That of the flatte contrary he sayth, they to whome thys spirite came, were disobedient. And that thou shouldest not dreame of Christs soule after his death herein, he setteth thée the time when this office was fulfylled, saying: In the daies of Noah, whyle the Arke was a preparing. Last of all [...] the godly learned Beza, doth interprete qui sunt, which are, not which were in pryson, according to the efficacie of the gréeke worde. And the Apostles purpose, is not to tell vs that they were in prison, what tyme Christe by his spirite in the dayes of Noah, preached vnto them (for then they were men in naturall lyfe as Noah was) but he will giue the Iewes to vnderstande, that all were drowned except eyght persons, bicause they were disobedi­ent vnto his worde. All whose soules that then were dam­ned, nowe at the wryting of this Epistle (and at this pre­sent and euer shall be) thoughe their bodyes be rotten and dust, are in prison. So now most iustly they receyue dam­nation, which refused their saluation in Christ, preaching vnto them in spirite in the mouth of Noah, not hauing as yet our nature vpon him. We conclude therefore, that A­brahams Bosome is a place of celestiall comforte, a Para­dise [Page] of pleasure vnspeakable, the hande of God, deuoyde of Hellish or any torments: the Aulter of ioy: the kingdome of God:Iohn. 14.2 Ephe. 1.18.19. Christes fathers house, where he sayth are many Mansions: euen the inheritance of the iust. Loe, to thys place went the holy father Symeon departing, wherof per­swaded, he departed in moste assured peace in conscience, and with God, who in his Christ with him being satisfied, by his holye spirite, setled the harte of Symeon, in moste quyet rest.

That the soules de­parted, walke not after death in earth againe.But yet or I passe from thys worde departe, for that I wryting this, a most slaunderous reporte is raysed of an honest and vertuous Minister departed this lyfe, that hys soule nowe walketh at this daye in his Parsonage house, it shall not be vnprofitable (Christian Reader) that I saye something to the beating downe to death this error. It is an olde sinister opinion of men, that the soules of the dead depart not so from vs, but that after buryall they walke in the earth, and appeare vnto men, exhorting them to this or to that, as Gregory of Rome reporteth in his Dia­logues. Yea, the Apostles might séeme to be combred wyth this error, saying: when they saw Christ vpon the water, it is a Spirite. Act. 12.15. And when Peter knocked at Iohn Markes mothers dore, they saide to Rhoda the mayde, it is his An­gel. This had they of the vulgare opinion, receyued from Pithagoras, teaching the soules of men to returne into the bodies of others, eyther for correction or reward. And thus (deluded) Herod hearing of Christ, supposed Iohn Baptist to be rysen againe,Mat. 14.1. Mar. 6.14 Luc. 9.7. whom he had beheaded. And the better sort of the people dreamed Christ to be Helias, Iohn Bap­tist, Ieremy, or some of the Prophetes, all which we sée were most vntrue. But as touching the departure of the soule, once seperated from the bodye, that it returneth not, or can possibly into the world, the storie of Lazarus doth af­fyrme. Diues desyreth that Lazarus might come to help his tongue,Luc. 16. but it is denied that they which be in ioy, can come [Page] to the Helles. He then desyreth that the soule of Lazarus may go to his brethren that are in the earth, and may teach them to beware, but he receyueth this aunswere. They which be here cannot come hence, and they which be there cannot come thence. And they haue Moyses and the Pro­phets, let them heare them, and if they wil not heare them, neyther wil they beleue though one should (which is vn­possible before iudgement) come from death againe. Esa. 8.19.20. Deut. 18. The Prophets doe forbid vs to aske counsell of the dead, & God lykewise in the lawe, & here Abraham doth sende vs to the Prophets and to Moses bookes for our instruction, denying most constantly that any soules of the dead shall walke a­gaine, to teach or terrifie vs: All they which departe thys lyfe, be eyther godly or wicked. If they be godly, then are they by imputation iust, and the soules of the iuste, Sapi. 3. are in the hands of God. And godly Lazarus cannot be permitted (no not to do much good) to come from Abrahams bosome. But if they be wicked, they lye in the Hels like sheepe, and thence cannot Diues or his fellowes come, though heauen and earth should runne together. But thou wilt say, what shall we saye to this, there is much iumblyng in suche a house, and there is séene lyuely such a man walke before vs,Chrisost. hom. 29. whome we cannot but say to be our friend departed to all our sences iudgemente? To thys I aunswere wyth Chrysostome vpon S. Mathew. What shal we say to those voyces sayth he, which saye I am the soule of such a man?The Deuil, not the soule of the deade it is, that af­ter buryall walketh to deceiue men. Say it is not the soule of the deade man, but it is the De­uill, which doth fayne these things to deceyue the hearers thereby. These are sayth he, olde wyues Fables and fry­uolous tales. The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God, and soules of Infants, &c. But the soules of synners are straight waye, after their departure, called to their place, as playnely appeareth (sayth thys father) by Laza­rus the righteous, and the wicked rich man. Loe, this is no newe doctrine, by vs deuysed, but an olde truth by the Fa­thers [Page] concluded, through the warrante of Gods worde, that the soules of men departed, be placed presently at the hower of death, out of which place they cannot come a­gaine to men in earth,Whether Samuell a­peared to Saule or no. before the day of iudgement. But the Papistes séeme to presse vs with the apparition of Sa­muel to king Saule, at the cuniuration of the Pythonisse. To whome we soundly aunswere, that Samuel appeared not to Saule, but Satan abusing the king, tolde him that he was Samuel. But here againe they saye, sée howe these men denye the playne Text of scripture. Doth not the ho­lye booke of GOD twise saye:1. Sam. 28. Eccle. 46. Samuel appeared vnto Saule? we acknowledge the scripture to call the Spirite that apeared, by the name of Samuel. And albeit against the second place as not Canonicall, we maye lawfully ex­cepte,August. quest. 3. yet we answere with Augustine (ad Simplicianum) the Bishop of Millaine. It was not sayth he, the spirite of Samuel raysed from his rest, but it was some fantasie, or imagination of the Deuill, which the scripture notwyth­standing calleth Samuel, as Images be called after the names of such persons as they do represent. Who doub­teth (sayth this father) to name the Images of the Phylo­sophers pictured vpon the wall, saying: this is Cicero, that is Salust, and this is Achilles, and this manne is Hector, this is the flood of Simois, and that is Rome, when these be nothing other, but bare pictures vpon a paynted wall. No maruell therfore though the wryter of the sacred Storyes sayth he, call this Image of Samuel, by the name he re­presented, or that the Deuill could transfigure himselfe to the shape of a holye man, which hath power also to tourne hymselfe into an Aungell of lyght. But Turtullian sayth. Absit vt animam cuiuslibet sancti, &c. God forbid that wée should beléeue the Deuill to haue power to call vp anye soule of the saints of God, much lesse of his holy Prophets, for we are taught, that Satan doth transforme hymselfe into an Angel of light, with what ease then into the shape [Page] of a manne of lighte, so he calleth Samuell, bicause he is a member of Christ the true light of the worlde, yea he doth sayth he, affirme himselfe to be God, and worketh great and prodigious things, if it were possibly therby, to seduce the elect people of God. That learned father Peter Martyr sayth, that Samuell apeared not to Saule, but it was an imagined shape, which by the delusion of Satan, was brought vnto Saule, and as we call it a Ghost, and he gy­ueth probable reasons to approoue his assertion.Diuers rea­sons proo­uing Sa­muell not to appeare to Saule. First syth the case so stood with Saule, that God would neyther an­swere him (being often prouoked) eyther by Oracle, by Prophete, or yet by the Priest, it is to be denyed, that he would appeare to him by the deade, especially considering hymselfe in his most holy iust lawe, to haue forbidden the same in these words. Let none be founde among you, Deut. 18.10. that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go through the fyre (be­twixt two fyres, by a superstitious ceremony therby to be purged) or that vseth Wytchcraft, or a regarder of tymes, Popish pur­gatory & her priests, build all vpon the reporte of the deade, as their Fryrie bookes de­clare, wher­fore accursed for abhomi­nations. or a marker of the flying of Foules, or a Sorcerer, or a Charmer, or that counselleth with spirites, or a Southsayer, or that as­keth counsell at the dead. For all that do such things are an a­bomination to the Lord, & bicause of these abhominations, the lord doth cast them out before thee. Secondly, this must be done eyther by the will of God, or by force of Magicall Arte. This was not the will of God, for his written will doth prohibet the same, and Satans Arte cannot haue po­wer against the will of God. Thirdly, if this Spectrum were Samuell, then did he appeare eyther wyllingly, or by force, he coulde not come to Saule wyllingly, for the hartes and obedience of the saints of God alyue and dead, doe concurre with the will of him their father. But in this apparision, the Prophete should haue yéelded to sathan, a­gainst Gods will, but to saye he came against his wyll, is more then wicked: nay to say he came at al, is pestiferous, when Abraham affirmeth constantly, that neyther Hea­uen, [Page] or the place of Torture, can yéelde from them the soules of the departed. To conclude, this matter of Sa­muel, your vnholy lawe of your lyke holye father, doth re­fell this opinion, as a fantasie of no reputation. It was not sayth this Decrée, Samuel that apeared to Saule, but the Deuill,Decret. pontif. 26. que. 5. cap. and he sayth it is an absurde and vnworthye matter to holde, that so holye a manne from his natiuitie, could by Deuillish arte be drawne to so wicked a man as Saule was. But this was sayth the Decrée, the fallacies of sathan, hereby compelling men to dreame, that he had power as well of the holye mens soules as of the wicked. Thus by the scripture of God, by the testimony of godlye Fathers, by probable reasons, and lastly (O Papist) by the Popes Decrée, thou doest sée howe this was not Samuel, but the delusion of sathan, and is called in the storye Sa­muel, respecting therby the mind of Saule, supposing this Spectrum to be Samuel. And as the golden Mice and Em­raldes,2. Sam. 6.4.5. which the Philistines layd in the Arke of wytnes, are called Mice and Emraldes, and yet are but the shape and Figures of them, made by the arte of the Philistines cunning. Euen so the shape of Samuell set before Saule, by the deceytfull arte of the Pythonisse (bicause he stood for Samuel) is so called in the holy story. To this I could adde further proofe and authoritie, but I suppose this sufficient to a godly minded man, and also further testimonie of Fa­thers, to deny that any soule of man walketh in this world after the hower of death. Athanasius an olde learned and godly Father sayth,Atha. li. de ques. 9. 13. that the wisdome of God will not per­mit the soules to retourne before the iudgement daye into this worlde, least by such meanes the Deuill shoulde take vpon him mans shape, and should (into the forme of dead men being transformed) say he were the soule of such a one raysed from death, and by such deceyte, should teach many lyes and false opinions, to the destruction of the Church. Augustine sayth, that if the soules of the dead could walke [Page] wyth men in earth, his godly mother Monica, Aug. de cura pro mor. ca. 13 Illirius Cent. 2. who trauay­led from Sea to lande to be with him, would neuer nowe after her death be absent from him. No truely the soules of dead men cannot walke in this worlde. For presently at the hower of death, as the olde Father Ireneus also sayth, they are placed, the godly in ioye, the wicked in perpetuall payne. But the Papists obiect yet against this truth, and say, that this Samuel did foretell to Saule, what shoulde become of him in that battle, and that he and his children should be slayne, and Saule himselfe shoulde be with thys Samuel. These things say they, the Deuill could not tell, for the Deuill knoweth not things to come, it must ther­fore of necessitie be the true Prophete Samuel, which be­ing the Lordes Prophete, could therefore foretell of these things. But all this is easily aunswered: This obiection standeth vpon trembling props, as thus: The Deuil fore­knoweth not things to come, but this knewe before hand, that Saule shoulde in the ouerthrowe be slayne, therefore was not this the Deuill, which by the Pythonisse was raysed. By the same reason maye I say this was not Sa­muell,Esa. 41.23. for the holye scriptures doe attribute this alone to God, to tell things before they come to passe, yet for all that, the same place doth nothing derogate, but that the Deuil may foreknow, and also declare some things, or that they come to light. For sometyme he receyueth com­mission of the Lord, to plague this Country,Deuils doe foreknowe many thin­ges. and that per­son, as the rodde of his loue or anger, and standing among the saints of god, he heareth the sentence, which had, swift­lye and easily he can vtter, before the execution be done. For the Deuils can most spéedily as the wynd, ouerrunne the earth, & therfore by Tertullian they be called Volucres. But hauing authoritie to plague Iob,Iob. 15.16.17. coulde he not haue told Iob, what shold haue become of him before he brought the Caldes, the foure wyndes, the fyre, and death to hys children, and sicknesse to hymselfe? yes veryly, sent to bée [Page] the lying spirite in the mouth of Achabs false Prophetes, with this warrant,1. Reg. 22.21.23. &c. that he should preuayle, was it not in his skyll to vtter Achabs destruction, as Micha did, before it came to passe? yes certainely. But the Lorde will not vse the person of the Deuill to be his Prophet, and therfore his deuyne spirite spake in the mouth of his holye afflicted seruant Micha. So no doubt did he know Gods counsel vt­tered touching Saule, whose ende the Lorde had determi­ned to be at this tyme perfected? and therfore of the Pytho­nisse demaunded, gyueth answere thereby, to bring Saule into greater desperation, which was Satans glory. Fur­ther, the infernall spirites be also called [...], which name some of the olde fathers (as Tertullian, Lactantius and others) affirme them to haue asciendo, of knowing much. But doth Daemon the Deuill knowe of his owne present knowledge things to come? No, for that is proper onely to God, who comprehendeth all tymes, all men, all things, and their whole actions, nowe and to the worldes ende, in his present eye and skyll. They are to him as pre­sent as though they were nowe done before our eyes. All things are open & naked before his Maiestie.1. Cor. 12.2 This know­ledge of the Deuill therfore, is of an other inferiour sorte, and yet not all after one manner. To men in earth is gi­uen by skyll some foreknowledge of things to come. As fyrst they consyder the causes, and so certainly iudge of the effects to followe. Some causes necessarily drawe their ef­fects, some by interception of occurrent matter are cut of, so that the effect can in no wise followe. The causes draw­ing their effects, giue men their warrant to foretell of that to come, whose cause cannot but bring the same. So the experte Astronomian, by his skyll in arte Mathematicall, and séeing the coniunctions and oppositions of the celestial partes, can and doe many yeares before, for mo then many after to come, truely and euydently foretell of the Sunne, and seuerall Eclypse is of the Moone, al which in truth and [Page] déede shall follow and come to passe. The other are not of lyke certainety, and yet doe men not doubt to iudge by them, for that the causes contynuing, the effect must needes follow, but the cause cut off, the effect is taken away. As for example, that man is a contynuall prodigall person, a common dronkarde, and a great whoremonger. If these causes contynue in him, it is of necessity, that beggery shal be his best end. So do the Sea men by the mayden heyres also (so they call the little disperpled cloudes, whose endes retourne vpwardes, much lyke vnto our Gentles frysled heades, in these monstruous dayes, a token no doubt of so­daine stormes to come) presently déeme of a tempest to a­ryse. The Phisition by the prognostication of the pulse, doth foresée the euente of his pacient in his weaknesse, and such like. But if this knowledge be graunted to be in wise and cunning learned men, much more is it to be graunted to infernall Spirites, which are not dulled by the grosse humors of mens nature. Adde to this their ancient expe­rience in matters, their causes and effects done and come to passe in the world, synce the begynning of the same, all which they haue in perfite memorye. And if experience of passed things, doe cause olde fathers warely to wayte the successe of lyke matters to come, & are preferred before the gréene heade for wisedome: howe shall we not be forced to yéelde, as much and more to the Deuill, whose dayes are before accountes (and yet not without tyme) and memory passing rype? Moreouer, they haue a substance swift as the wynde, and before the Swallow,Deuilles swift as the wynde. can flée the circuite of the earth, and what is done this daye in the extremitie of the East, can hereby declare it spéedily after in the Weast. Further, they are placed in the heauenly ayre,Ephe. 6.12 as in a most high Turret of watch, whence they may beholde the acti­ons of men a farre of, and declare the same instantly, as it were by prophecy. And once to make an end hereof: I say, they sée the propheticall scriptures, & by their skyll in them [Page] admeasure the actes of the Church, thorowe which know­ledge they become verye rype runners in things to come. Yet notwithstanding,The Deuil deceyued. they are often deceyued, and moste of all deceyue those which rest vpon their answers. For the Lorde doth in his, change the harts, and so the actes of men, from y^t they were, by which Satans foreiudgement is preuented, of sorowful euent to follow: yea, & oft times in the twinckling of an eye, he stoppeth the causes, & their effectes. As who woulde not haue sayd when the thrée chil­dren were cast into the burning ouen,Dan. 13. that they should haue perished by fyer, but euen there and then began firste the best argument of there long lyfe, where and when the An­gell, euen the sonne of God was sent to stop the cause and coole the flames, and in the mydst of them to preserue his seruants, and their clothes from hurte by flame or smell of smoke. But this could not the Deuill foresée. Againe, God in his deuine wisdome doth suffer and appoynt the bodies of his saintes to be consumed to ashes in the fyre, and to death in other extreme persecutions, so as Satan by thys meanes is most often blynded, and knoweth not what to say. They are deceyued also many tymes, partly for that they knowe not the wyll of God, further then it is made knowne to them, partly for that they cannot déepely enter into the harts of men. For that is onely proper to God, to be the sercher of the hart and raynes. Ier. 17. And many times they doe deceyue by ambition their worshyppers, in cause they would seeme ignoraunt in nothing. But to relye vpon our aunswere to this obiection, that the Deuill cannot fore­know. Thou séest (gentle Reader) what hath bene layde before thine eyes herein, and thereby mayst perceyue that he is not altogether bereaued of foreknowledge, but many wayes enabled too in some sortes, and by degrées therein. And touching Sauls case, Satan knew very well by that was in proofe practised, how the matter stood betwéene the Iewes and the Palistins, he sawe the Israelits armye [Page] weake and halfe discomfited, he sawe that Samuell had prophecied Sauls depriuation, and that Samuell had a­nointed Dauid in his succéeding place, and therfore he con­cluded Saule to be with him the morrowe after. But Saule he killed himselfe,Ioh. 8. and so became the sonne of his fa­ther Satan, which is a lyer and a murtherer from the be­ginning, and expresseth himselfe herein, to be both at once. A lyer in that he sayth he is Samuell, and is not, but the false deceyuer Satanas: a murtherer in that kylleth the soule of Saule, by feeding his fantasie in that abhominati­on, which is forbidden by the Lorde,Deut. 18. namely that anye should aske counsell at the deade. And so haue we I truste sufficiently answered that scruple, whether the Deuil can predicere, foretell of things to come. No necessitie therfore that this Spectrum should be Samuel, when as so playne proofe is, that Satan doth know much, and can also in sun­dry wayes foretell (which to the ignorante séemeth prophe­cie) of matters hereafter to be performed. This knowne, the second prop (to say y^t of necessitie this was Gods Pro­phet Samuel) falleth of himselfe downe to the dust. Ney­ther did the Prophetes of God at anye tyme prophecy, tyll they had receyued from the Lorde his good pleasure, wher­fore they alwayes say. Haec dicit Dominus. Thus sayth the Lord. Or is the Lorde so scanted of Prophets, or prone to consent to the wickeds desyre, that from the dead he will and must call vp his departed seruants. Nay both of these is denyed, in that story of Diues and Lazarus. Luc. 16. Esa. 8.19.20. They that lyue, are denyed of the appearing of the deade, and for en­structions they are sent to the law, and propheticall bookes of Gods holy scriptures. To determine this disputation, the Prophets, saints and seruants of God, refuse to take deuine worship giuen vnto them.Apoc. 19.10. Act. 10.16 14.4. But this Spectrum dyd take it, and reprooueth not the same, an absolute conclusi­on, that it was the spirite of Satan, and not the Prophete of the Lorde Samuell, who rightly sayde, that Saule in [Page] soule should be with him on the morrow, which is the place of all abiect Murtherers, which from true religion fall to his opposite,Hebr. 6.4 Idolatry (as sayth the Apostle.) It is impos­sible that they which were once lightened, and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte, and were made partakers of the holye ghost, and haue tasted of the good worde of God and of the powers of the worlde to come, if they fall awaye, should bee renewed by repentance, seeing they crucifie agayne to them­selues the sonne of God, and make a mock of him, And an other place.Hebr. 10.26. If we synne wyllingly, after that we haue re­ceyued the knowledge of the truth, there remayneth no more sacrifice for syns, but a fearefull looking for of iudgement, and violent fyre, which shall deuoure the aduersaryes.

Apo. 14.3.To returne to our holy Symeon, he sayth he shall now depart in peace, for why? as saint Iohn sayth. Blessed are the deade which dye in the Lorde (or for the Lordes cause) euen so sayth the spirite, for they rest from their labors, and their workes (that is Gods mercifull reward) follow them. In this sentence, all feare of death to Symeon, and trem­bling at the Popish Purgatory,Three per­fite consola­tions a­gaynst the pretensed Purgatory. is taken awaye from the children of God, and that by thrée most assured affirmati­ons. First he sayth [...], which importeth by and by, pre­sently, no delay or interception, but euen from the very in­stant of death, and the last gaspe, as Christ also hath pro­mised the godly (though in themselues synners) shall passe from death to lyfe. Secondly, to assure vs hereof, he sayth, the Spirite of God sayth so, which cannot lye or be decey­ued. Thirdly he sayth, we thenceforth rest from our labors. Now the labors of the godly, are afflictions of mynde and body, sorrows, paynes, torments and terror of conscience, and such lyke. But from all these at the hower of death, the sonnes of God in Christ, ending their lyfe, doe take their quiet rest. Therefore Purgatory, which is sayde to consist most of these labors, cannot touch those or anye of them, which are else purged in the onely Purgatory to a [Page] christian soule or body.Heb. 9.14 1. Ioh. 1.7. 1. Pet. 1.19. Reuel. 1.5. Namely the bloud of Iesus Christ once shed vpon the crosse, by the which he hath in his owne person, purged our soules from all sinnes, and not in a po­pish Purgatory, of an imagined fyre, which is no other but the Hels, whose nature is euer to burne, and to tormente: but neuer to purge those that be thether condemned. Thys Christ was Symeons purgation and consolation, peace and glory, in whom, & to whom, all that beléeue in him aright, shall to him with Symeon at the hower of death, departe in most comfortable and quyet resting peace.

Some reade this place thus.The godly feare not, but rather desyre at Gods will to ende thys lyfe. Lorde now let thy seruante departe in peace, &c. As if hereby he had made peticion to the Lorde, to ende these dayes of sinne in his bodye, and to take his lyfe from him, which reading is not wythout pro­fitable doctrine. For it teacheth vs, that after Christ the Lorde is once faythfully embraced of vs in harte that be godly:Ephe. 1.18. there remayneth no ioy to that earnest meditation of the heauenly lyfe, which enflameth loue, to hunger the day of dissolution, and with Paule to saye: I couet to bee dissolued, and to be with Christ. And for our enstruction, there be in this reading, thrée things to vs not improfita­ble. First, that the elect of God feare not death, as doe the wicked, whose consciences accuse them giuen to condem­nation: but they at the Lords leasure desyre it, bicause they know,2. Cor. 5.1. if that they were delyuered from this earthly taber­nacle, they should be possessed of the heauenly with Christ. And here let no man obiect vnto me, the feare which was in Christ against death, from which he prayed thrée tymes in the Garden to be delyuered: For we denye it not,Mat. 26.37. Mar. 14.35. &c. Luc. 22.42. &c. Hebr. 2.18 but to mans nature death is yrkesome, and our Christ herein doth verily teach vs, that he is of our nature, a naturall man with vs, tasting our infyrmities, that he might haue the more compassion of vs his members. And y^e which most is, the Lorde Iesus had not to fyght against naturall death onely, but he was to sustayne and fully beare in his body, [Page] the syns of the whole worlde, and for them he was to féele in his soule and body, the whole wrath of God the father, for the chasticement of our peace,Esa. 53. was by his father fullye layde vpon him. Wherefore if that thou being one of the causes of this terror (hauing earnest consideration of thy horrible sinnes and) doest lyft vp thine eyes to God, looke­ing vpon him without Christ, as thine angry iudge (which who can abyde) cannot but be eaten vp of all sorrowe into despayre:Psa. 130.3. How greatly our sauiour Christ then was cau­sed (which had the burden of the whole worlde of synne layde vpon him) to praye for delyuerance to his fathers wyll, thou mayest by thy selfe gyue sentence. Yet was he not afrayde to dye, as the wicked are which haue no hope, but assured of his resurrection, he sayth in ioye of harte and peace of conscience:Math. 26.39.42. Iohn. 17.2 Father thy will be done. And a­gaine, he desyreth death, Venit hora glorifica filium. Fa­ther the hower is come, glorifye thy sonne (that is to say by death) that thy sonne may glorifie thée in his resurrection. Take not this for an obiect to thy duety, in desyre to be cut from the dayes of synne (or desyre to be with Christ) which is a signe of infidelitie, (Christ hauing by his suffering slayne synne, hell, and death to, and for thée) but remem­ber and learne hereby, how horrible a thing it is to fal into the hands of y^e lyuing God by synne, which synne wrought in Christ such terror, and that bicause he tooke the paynes due to all sinne vpon his person on the Crosse, therby to be­come our raunsome and mediator) as being a very natu­rall man, as he is truely God, sweat in the agony of hys soule,Luke. 22.44. before his body was apprehended, bloudy drops. O synne most horrible. And be assured, that if by infydelitie, popery, and carnall trace, thou crucifye a freshe the Lorde of lyfe, this horror shall not profite thée, but thus treading vnder foote his death most auayleable and glorious: Thou shalt dye a death immortall and ignominious: But the heartes of the regenerate sonnes of God feare not death, [Page] bycause they are assured by his spirite to lyue with Christ. This is the cause why so manye Martyrs wyllingly giue their bodyes to the fyre, and other deaths terrible to the fleshe,Phil. 1.29. bicause his spirite which maketh them on this wise to confesse his holye name, goeth with them through the midst of the flames, and corroborateth their hartes moste constantly to wade through the valley of this shadowe of death by fayth in him. Secondly, the children of God,Hebr. 12. for the moste parte, are so farre from fearing naturall death, that they desyre and couet the same, as the last remedy a­gainst the enimy Satan,1. Cor. 15.26. Rom. 7. Ephe. 1.14 Luk. 21.28 Rom. 8.23 as the day of delyuerie from the body of synne, & lastly as the dore of entrance, into their eternall redemption by Christ. The wicked we graunt to hunger for death many tymes, but it is not to shut vp the shop of synne: but by that meane to ende the daies of their deserued shame. And hereof come so manye murtherers, Iudas children, which ashamed to liue, being charged with a most guyltie conscience, doe hang, drowne, or cut their owne throates, which is the force of Satan in them, as thereby beginning their endlesse sorrowes, but in the god­ly there is this mature moderation: for as they most harti­lye with Paule desyre to be dissolued: So they submit themselues moste humbly to his worde of decrée,Phi. 1.21.22.23. &c. in their appointed course, regarding the place they haue, and the office they beare, wherein their lyfe God will vse longer then their desyre, to the profite of those to whome he hath giuen them, for his honorable instruments to the benefite of his beloued Church. Wherfore they restrayne theyr pe­ticions in Symeons lyne thus. O Lorde when it pleaseth thée, according to thy worde, for my dayes are thereby numbred, which I shall not passe. Note here that no Pa­pist in the perswation of Popery, can say vnto his soule: Now shall I depart in peace according to thy worde.No Papist in Popery can dye in peace. For neyther hath Popery, or any part therof warrant thence, or doth that profession worke peace in the conscience of his [Page] pacient at the hower of death, but farre the contrary. For if when Satan féedeth their ignorant humors, and with pleasure draweth them to y^e profession, they neuer therein can finde sure foote of stay, to quyet their minds for sinne: How shall they thereby feele that necessary bulwarke, and Ancor of health, at the instant of natures farewell, when that subtill Serpent doth now no longer dally, but draw them into despaire? shewing them the multitude of their sinnes, their securitie in euil, their ignorance in God, their doubt of his fauour (which is an [...] in Popery) his se­uere iustice, and their forlorne estate? Then aske they, by what meanes shall I passe his iudgemente? By Masses sayth one, by the Popes pardon sayth an other, by the me­rits of the saints sayth the thirde. But then doth Satan sharply fight against the wounded conscience, and openeth the truth, as thereby further to pierce his conscience to death, and enforcing to his harte, these things cannot helpe thée, thy trust is vaine in them. Against which temptation, what helpe in Popery? They are fayne to cry, this is thy helpe euen Iesus Christ, but then his comfort is cut short, in that they pull his meditation from the Lorde crucifyed, and lay on bed before him a brasen Crucifixe. They tell him that his friends shall praye for him, and the Church shal be plyed with Trentals, to delyuer him from Purga­tory, which doctrine is most troublesome, and so the poore Papist, for all that Popery can doe, dyeth thereby moste doubtfull of rest, if not most fearefull of eternall payne. Consyder this well, there is not the best treasure in Po­pery, that doth warrante thée peace in death. If the death of Christ be not sufficient hereto (so say they most blasphe­mously) where then shall we haue it? in the Masse. No, for then would that sacrifice sometime cease: But so long as the worlde endureth, euen so long will they (if God o­uerthrowe not their seate) contynue that deade sacrifice, for the dead soule, in whose cause it is daylie song or saide. [Page] Doth not this argue a doubt of valor in the Masse? And also of the peace of the soule, for whome it is called Re­quiem? Is not this true? Can this worke peace in the hart,Popery yeeldeth no quyet, to mans con­science. when the best account made, at the foote therof, he fyndeth an arrearege, which his soule is to aunswere in burning fyre, and flaming brimstone, in a Purgatorie of payne, whence he cannot by all the cunning of Popish arte, know when or how to be delyuered? Smale quyet in conscience to a poore Papist, which séeth no remedy, but that he muste from lyfe to death, from earthly troubles, to hellish paines, without intermission to be boyled in lead, and imprisoned by Deuils in paynes incurable. O poore harte be wise in God, imbrace his word, beléeue in his Christ, walke in his statutes by the grace of his spirite, so shalt thou be assured that the popish Purgatory is Hell, from whence no man can be delyuered. So shall all terror of death be drawne from thée,Luc. 16.16 Ephe. 1.13.14. 1. Ioh. 5.10 Rom. 8.1. for his holye spirite shall seale thée vp to redemp­tion, and the witnesse shal be within thée, agaynst Synne, Satan, Pope and Hell, that no condemnation can come to thée, which by fayth art ingraffed into Christ, whose lyfe is not to walke after the wicked fleshe, but after Gods ho­lye spirite, guyding thy soule and body into true righte­ousnesse and sanctification, during thy naturall lyfe. By this rule onely shalt thou obtayne peace, but to the wicked sayth the Prophete (vz to the Papist lyuing and dying in Popery) there shall be no peace.Esa. 48.22 Obiection. And here I preuent this obiection. What say you then of all our forefathers in the long time of Popery? are they all without peace?What is be­come of our forefathers in Popry. Are they all condemned? No, God forbid. When Achab and Iesabell had ouerrunne all Israell with Idolatry, so that Helias supposed hymselfe onely to stande for the cause of God,3. Reg. 19. the Lord answered that he had reserued seauen thou­sand, that is to saye a great multitude in euery part of Is­raell, which did not bowe the knée to Baal. Nero was a most cruell persecutor of Christes Church, and yet saint [Page] Paule wytnesseth Iesus the Lorde,Phil. 4.22 to haue his Churche euen in his persecuting Courte. But ye will saye, these were drawne by preaching of the worde, but in Popery the worde is kept hydden from the people: It is so. Yet we doubt not, but as at the last hower, the spirite of God lightened the harte of the théefe vpon the Crosse,Luck. 23.40. Ezech. 18. Eph. 1.4.5 Ioh. 1.9. 1. Tim. 2.4. Eph. 1.18. Heb. 1.3. so that in yéelding to death, he sawe Christ onely to be his lyfe: So the same most louing father, who wylleth not the death of a synner: hath euen in the hower of death, and in all the dayes of Popery, tourned the hartes of as many, as were predestinate before all tymes, in Christ to lyue eternally. And that our Christ which lighteneth all men that come in­to the worlde, and would haue all men (that is to say of eue­rye country, nation people, and families some) to be saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth: Hath also illumi­nated the hartes of all those, whome the father hath by his spirite drawne out of the Dungeon of Papistrie, to thys brightnesse of his glory, wherby they haue with the eyes of their fayth, séene this Iesus Christ, to be the onely saluati­on of Iewe, Turke, Pagan, Papist, and Gentyle, and conse­quently haue in harte felt him for theirs, to their greate and synguler consolation. After which sight they haue in the integritie of their soules,1. Cor. 3.12 Phil. 3.8. accounted al the hey, tymber, stubble and Popishe stuffe, as fylthie doung, and pacient­ly abode the paine of death for their former ignorance, and rest in hope of eternall peace, and in the assurance of hys spirite, that their synnes in his bloude are washed awaye. They are perswaded, that death is to them lyfe, in cause whereof, they haue in Christ banished that feare which bringeth paynefulnesse, 1. Io. 4.18. and with Symeon haue sayde. Now Lorde let vs thy seruants depart in peace: for the eyes of our minde, nowe in the agony of our soule (hath through the day spring which from an high hath visited vs) perfitly seene the Lorde thy Christ to be our sauing health, [...]uc. 1.78. in whome wee departe to thee, who neuer before this hower, in these dayes [Page] of ignoraunce could attayne to this grace. But now Lord re­ceiue vs in peace, through Christ our lord our God of peace, and the same to all his chosen children. The prouydence of God in tyme of Popery, féedeth this our sentence of the forefathers, thus blessed in the dayes of ignorance. In that he conserued, and during those tymes continued among men, the Symbole of our fayth, which very manye at their death haue constantly repeated, and by open declaration, haue affirmed, in that fayth to ende their lyfe. But thys Symbole preacheth onely the gloryous fayth in God the Father, God the sonne, and God the holy Ghost,In Popery no saluation wherfore I conclude, that manye of our forefathers were in the daies of Popery saued by fayth alone in Christ, and that by Popery, no man may or can be saued. For the whole course of the Romishe Religion, is to disperce,Mat. 12.30 and not to gather together the saintes of God, to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge in the sonne of GOD, but to hayle to the fayth of Rome (which maketh as many Sauiours, as the sunne (shyning) giueth shadowes) which can in no case permit a man, eyther to rest alone in the death of Christ, or to assure himselfe of saluation in hym. But to attayne lyfe,Popishe Treasures. the Papists must fetch the treasures of the Church of Rome, parte whereof is the blood of Martyrs, though some of them be notable Traytors. It is to playne, that they make such, not Mediators onely, but Sauiours also from synne. Who can forget this solemne Anthemne to that Traytor Thomas Becket, sometimes Byshop of Caunter­bury, which the Popes Portuse, and all laten Primers haue farsed in them, for men in prayer to vse?In the Po­pishe Pri­mers. Tu per Thomae sanguinem, quem pro te impendit, fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit. That is: graunt vs Christ by the vertue of saint Thomas his bloud, which he shedde for thée, to ascende whether Thomas is gone, where note that Christ hath but that office, which else they giue to Pe­ter: Namely to be the dore kéeper, and to admit those [Page] soules into heauen, which clayme it by the bloud of Barra­bas (I should say Thomas) and they do refuse, bicause they doe distrust the raunsome of Christ, our onely way to lyfe. Oh horrible and most abhominable blasphemy.Ioh. 14.6. But deare Reader. No man can come to the father (sayth our suffici­ent Sauyour) but by mee. And therefore praying for the Papists conuersiō, if it be Gods good will, let vs as Paule doth exhort vs,Heb. 12.19 seeing by the bloud of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place (into heauen) by the newe and lyuing way, which he hath prepared for vs thorow the vayle, that is to say his fleshe, and seeing we haue an high Priest o­uer the house of God, let vs drawe neare with a true hart, in assurance of fayth, sprinckled (made pure) in our hearts from an euil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water. Let vs keepe the profession of our hope, without wa­uering, for he is faythfull that promised. And let vs consider one another, to prouoke vnto loue, and to good workes, not forsaking the felowship that we haue among our selues, as the maner of some is, but let vs exhorte one another, & that so much the more, bicause ye see the day draweth neere. Let vs expect his comming and loue the Lorde, so shall we not feare any perrill of death. And God graunt our Englishe Papistes once to sée, and be ashamed of their wylfulnesse to damnation, sléeping in the bedde of the whore of Babi­lon,Reuel. 18. which is prepared to desolation and perpetuall fyre, And to imbrace his Gospell, which is the onely ioy of soule and solace in death, [...]t. 3.17. the path to lyfe in that Sauiour, in whome God the father is onely pacifyed.

The second note is, that the godly are so farre from fea­ring naturall death, that on the contrary part, they humbly many tymes at the hande of God, can earnestly pray for it, and wyshe it: yea, and eaten vp of griefe for the dayes of synne, they lament that they are not disburdened of the bo­dye thereof. Finally, in desyre of the full accomplishment of the bodye of Christ, that the same his Church might be [Page] thorowly glorifyed, in heauen (as she is in parte) and in earth perfitly sanctifyed. The saints in this lyfe, praye for the dissolution of the world, and Christ to come with speede to iudgement. For the fyrst Paule prayeth thus: I desyre to be dissolued and to be with Christ, and our Symeon here. Lorde now let thy seruaunt depart in peace. Secondly, in the seuenth to the Romaynes, Paule cryeth out of synne, lamenting and saying: O wretched man that I am, who shall delyuer me from the body of this death, that is, from this lumpe of fleshly sinne and death. Where note (gentle Christian) that the saintes of God are subiect to the mise­ries of sinne, but so as with griefe and anguishe of heart, they carry that lumpe of death. Yet they in pacient morti­fication, by his holy spirite, wayte his tyme set for their de­lyuerie, and earnestly desyre the same. Note also the right ende of this peticion, which by the wicked and desperate is abused:A due re­spect in the desyre of na­turall death. The godlesse cumbred with piercing sting of con­science, ashamed of their state, and looking for his heauye iudgement, doe also desyre and cry for death. So doe the poore ignorante persons, which in pryson, in Gallyes, or Iayles, and pyning in payne. The poore oppressed: the née­die which cannot haue to satisfie the hungry, & crye of their children, and selues: the sick pacient, which long hath lyen of an incurable disease. These and such lyke desyre death, but it is not to the right ende, for which it should be desy­red. They only haue respect to the present paine or shame, and to fynish that, they do not onely desyre, but the wicked desperate persons, in despite of God his holy lawe, and in­stinct of Nature, doe with the pernicious knyfe of perpe­tuall paine, bereaue for a tyme, the sorrowes of thys syn­full corps. But such desperate death, is the purchase of Hel with Iudas, Achitophel, king Saule, and such others. Now the true and lyuely ende of this peticion in the elect of God is. That least they should by to much acquaintance wyth finne and death, become resty in the bed of hir delight, and [Page] so be slayne,Sap. 4.11.12. sléeping with Holophernes, in dronken plea­sures of the fleshe (the same daylie more and more assaul­ting them) they doe pray for death, as for the last remedye and perfite victory, against sinne and Sathan. Yet so as I saye, still they doe by fayth in hope suppresse the dolorous griefe of sinne in lyfe, with the continual meditation of the inwarde ioyes receyued by grace in Christ, and therein so­lace themselues, as with the earnest penny of their Fa­thers possession, which they are assured of, when the Lord in mercy shall call them to himselfe by death. Till when, they punishe this bodie of sinne, least it shoulde proue to lustie,1. Tim. 5.23. but they nurrish nature weakned, that she may the sooner and the better yéelde the office, which their seuerall callings doe require. And this is the heauenly ende of our desyre to die, that so we may receiue to our selues that life, which now is treasured vp for vs with GOD in Christ, which is our onely lyfe.Col. 3.1.2.

And thirdly, the loue and longing desyre, which in the saintes is apparant, for the whole and perfite ioye of the Church, the Apostle S. Iohn manifesteth in these wordes: O Lorde come quickly, Apo. 22.17. which there is approoued by the Lorde, who to the comforte of his Church, sealeth vp thys prayer with Amen. Saying: So be it, Beholde I come quickly. Amen. Lorde perfite vs in thée, and shortly ende these dayes of sinne, for thy holye names sake Lorde Ie­su, and giue vs, that truely call vpon thée, thy eternall glo­rye. Amen.

Last of all, when Symeon sayth: Lord now let thy ser­uaunt departe in peace, he doth teach vs to abhorre all troublesome and murtherous kinde of death. And doth cō ­uince all those guyltie of this precept (Thou shalt not kill) which in any maner haue slaine themselues for any cause.Symeon abhorreth al troublesome and murde­ring deaths. And doth forewarne the Church of God, to flye such dam­nable enterprises, which are no other, but the perswasions of Satan, and the acte herein is the obsequie of his deadly [Page] will. Though Symeon desyre to dye, and that death is to him comfortable, in that he hath séene in bodye and soule, the Sauyour of the worlde, come now in fleshe to saue his Church by the ransome of his bloud, (which fayth only ma­keth death desyred in hart) yet will he not shorten his life by sodaine crueltie, to be a Felondese: But he will dye as hath ordayned the wyll of God: And therefore he addeth, according to thy worde. What shall we then say to them, which else haue their great commendation, in that to a­uoyde, some the dayes of tyranny, some other the sight of Gods church persecuted, or to auoyde the purpose of synful persons, or the infamy of synne, or therby thinking to glo­rifye God, haue from the consistory of the harte, giuen com­mission and commaundement, to the violent hande, to cut in sunder soule and bodye, by murthering stroake of mer­ciles arme? Truely I say, that neyther Cato, Razias, Lu­cretia, Curtius, or his lyke, are sure warrants to thée, or yet the Donatists, which to bring the Christian Byshops into contempt, would offer to kill themselues rather, then to prouoke the Emperours sworde against them, which they spake to winne more ease, when the godly Bishops craued his ayde against their pernitious pollution, and yet would they be accounted [...]. Cato in kylling himself thought to be ridde of Caesars tyranny, by which meanes he offred himselfe to Sathans bondage: yea, he conuinceth himselfe of folly, when he exhorteth hys sonne to obey and séeke the peace of Caesar, from whome he ran by murthering death. If it were good and a wise parte for his sonne, to obteyne the Princes fauour, why not for the father also? His impa­cience which could not suffer himself to liue a bearing sub­iect, was a thousande partes worse then the Tyrants cru­eltie. But thou which fearest God hast another rule, if the Prince be neuer so cruel, thou art commaunded to pray for him, that thou mayest liue a quyet, godly, & honest lyfe, 1. Tim. 2.12. which thing sayth Paule in that place, is good and accep­table. [Page] What? to kyll himselfe from Nero his tyranny, be­ing a persecuted christian? No, but that God will vnder his Regiment, giue thée at length a quyet lyfe. For the same cause Ieremy sendeth by Baruck, Baruk. 1.11.12. exhortations to the afflicted Iewes in captiuitie, vnder Nabuchadnezar, that they should pray for his lyfe,Persecuting Princes muste bee prayed for: How much more ought wee to call vpon God for such as professe hys Gospell. that they might also lyue quy­etly vnder him. And the Apostles doe arme vs to pacience, and vnto forbearing of tyranny, with long suffering, as well by their owne example, as doctrine. But in no waies haue they eyther slayne themselues, to be ridde of prisons, Irons, cruell murther or tyranny, but haue sought by all meanes rather to maintayne their lyfe, to doe more good therein to the Church of God, then to hasten their ende by violent stroke. For thys cause did Paule exhorte Timothie to pacience, willing him to suffer aduersity, to do the worke of an Euangelist, 2. Tim. 4.5. and to make his ministery knowne. He tel­leth him that he is now ready to be offred to dye for Christ, but he feareth it not, or will preuente Nero his cruelty, by his owne hande, but will lyue till the daye of his dissoluti­on, which the Lorde hath set for him, reioycing in that such tyranny shall spéede him to that crowne, which is layde vp for him at the ende of his lawful fight,2. Tim. 4.8. and fynished course. And the same reward he assureth al other with hym, which loue the appearing of Iesus Christ. He also is glad of that naturall lyfe wherein, though vnder the most fierce Lyon, (so he called Nero for his cruell tyranny) he may yet more profite the Church by the preaching of his worde. And when the Iaylor at Philippos, awaking oute of sléepe, saw the prison dores open (wherin Paule and Sylas were fast in the inner prison chayned, and straightly committed to his charge) drew his sworde,Act. 16. [...]7 and woulde haue kylled hymselfe (adiudging it better to dye at once, then by many torments of the cruel Romanes, to be tormented to death, for the scape of his prisoners, which he supposed to be fled) Paule cryed vnto him, doe thy selfe no harme, for we are all [Page] here. Note well: when as by this meanes (the Iayler slayne) Paule and Sylas might the better haue fled, yet had they rather abyde in the Prison still, and afreshe to enter into the Iron Gyues, then they by silence would séeme to approoue this wicked acte, that the Iayler for feare of the Princes power should murther himselfe. By which suffe­ring, both the Iaylors lyfe was saued, Satan banished, the Iaylor and his houshold baptized, & the Apostles the nexte day deliuered. This myracle that the earthquake came, the prison dores opened, their Irons loosed, and the gate set frée, séemeth rather for the lyfe and conuersion of the Iay­lor, then for the delyuerie of the Apostles. Sée then by how great a miracle, God doth commaund to subiect our selues to the yoke of great tyranny to conserue lyfe. Wherein we shal be more profitable to the Church, then we can by death auayle her. And also to auoyde Cato his rigour,The godlye for the pre­seruation of lyfe, maye craue ayde of an Hea­then Ma­gistrate. & in paine to preserue our selues: yea, and at the handes of such po­wer, to aske ayde for the preseruation of our lyfe, to hys glory, and the Churches profite (which euer ought to be the ende of such desyre) if we sée that vnlawfull might would depryue vs thereof, rather then by anye meanes to suffer the pryuate hande, to spoyle the publique Church, and chri­stian common wealth, of a faythfull and profitable mem­ber, in and of the same: Thus did Paule imprisoned at Ierusalem, when the high Priestes and Counsell had con­sented to the conspiracie of those fortie men,Act. 23.14 which had made a vowe, not to eate or drinke, till they had slayne Paule, when the Captaine shoulde bring him forth on the morrowe to the Counsell: Loe, then Paule admonished hereof, praieth aide at the Romane power (which now had him in prison) to cōserue his lyfe, from y^e murthering hand of these men, bicause that was forbidden in this. Thou shalt not kyll. O deare brethren, be well instructed in thys point. No cruelty, tyranny, or Popish oppression is cause sufficient for vs, to become with them most cruell to oure [Page] selues. We are commaunded by Christ, if they persecute vs to flee: Mat. 10.23. Hebr. 12.1. if arrested by authoritie, constantly to endure the crosse. And it becommeth vs with pacience to run the race that is set before vs. We maye not cut it shorter by priuate and monstruous death, looking (sayth the Apostle) vnto Iesus, the author and fynisher of our fayth, who for the ioye that was set before him, endured the crosse, & despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of God. Consider (sayth he) therfore him that endured such speaking against of syn­ners, lest ye should be wearyed and faynte in your minds. Ye haue not yet resisted vnto blood, striuing against sinne. Loe, the holy ghost is not glorified by kylling of our selues, least we should be compelled to Idolatry. But in that we resist sinne, vntill our blood be taken from vs by the tyran­nous power of bloudy sentence. And if saint Peter wil not haue vs to suffer as murtherers, 1. Pet. 4.15 much lesse would the spirite of God in him,Why in part no christian oughte to shorten hys tyme. that we shoulde by kylling our selues be murtherers in déede, which is most horrible and absurde, and flatte opposite to the lawe of God, in the bodye of the Scripture, to the instinct of Nature which hateth death, to the church of GOD, which is the wyfe of the preseruing Christ, and not the slaue of the murtherer Sathan, and fi­nally against the Prince and common wealth, where the partie dwelleth, to all whom he is borne to obey in christi­an duety,Answere to the obiecti­ons of Ra­zias, Curti­us, Cato, Lucreace. and not to himselfe. Deare brother therfore in al extremitie foster thy lyfe, and with pacience runne that race of time, which God in his mercie to thy gloryous lyfe in Christ hath set thée, and be assured that if after his exam­ple thou suffer with him, likewise by his warrant in truth, thou shalt raigne with him in eternall peace and felicitie. The example of Razias the elder of Ierusalem,2. Mar. 14.4. who first wounded himselfe, and when he sawe it was not to death, cast himselfe from the height of his Castle, and yet hauing lyfe ranne to the Rocke, and pulled out his owne bowels, and cast them vpon the blasphemous Tyran Nicanor hys [Page] Souldiour, crying vpon God and died (and as this bicause he would not fall into the handes of his tyranny) this ex­ample as it is priuate, so it maye not tye vs to followe it. That friuolous prayer for the deade in the same Booke, which was the priuate fact of a Captain, bicause both their actes are to be condemned (thoughe in this Apocripha o­uertly commended) which thing the storie doth, eyther by­cause the author would lessen the crime in the men, or that the parties supposed their facts lawdable. And the author of these bookes, is afrayde to stande the iudgement of the Canonicall scripture in these points, as apeareth when he maketh this peticion, as it were for fauourable constructi­on, in the last chapter of the second booke of Machabees, 2. Mac. 15.39. say­ing: If I haue done well as the storie required, it is the thing that I desyred: But if I haue spoken slenderly and barely, it is that I could. And that he hath thrust in sundry Schema of his owne (of which these two haue their part) it appeareth to the ende he would bewtify the story: For thus he sayth. As it is hurtefull to drinke Wine alone, and then againe water, and as Wine and water mingled together is plea­sant and delighteth the taste: So the setting out of the mat­ter delighteth the eares of them that read the storye. But how farre shorte this is of Gods spirite in the Scriptures, which is not doubtfull but Amen, so be it. Againe, howe farre from the commaundement of those wordes: Thou shall not kyll, is the example of this Razias, be thou iudge (indifferent Reader) thy selfe, conferring them together. Neyther can the excuse by Augustine and others made, that something was lawfull for them which is not for vs, wype this bloody body, when as the same commandement was then, which now is. Thou shalt not kyll. As for lan­guyshing Lucrece, I leaue her to her Torquine, whose ad­ultresse she seemeth, and to her selfe a murtheresse. But to vs godly and chaste Susanna, is a contrarye and christian example. But Curtius for the loue of his country, cast him­selfe [Page] into the gaping gulfe, by whose death the earth reclo­sed: yea, but this was Satans arte, to whome this Noble and valyaunt Champion was to seruiceable. We are to fight for our Country, & to spend our lyues for our Prince, but in the warres to doe our best against the aduersaries, and not to cast oure selues desperatly to death by Satans delusion. But some will say. Did not Christ séeing that no waye else mankinde could be saued, most wyllingly gyue himselfe to death for man? And so did Curtius. Yea, but as Christ sayde, I lay downe my lyfe for the people, and take it to me agayne. So did he it in most noble order. First, he o­beyed his fathers ordinance herein. A bodye hast thou or­deyned me: Loe, I am here to doe thy will O God. Second­ly,Heb. 10.5. he nayled not himselfe on the crosse, nor thrust hymselfe to the hart, or crowned himselfe with thorne, but quyetly tooke this crueltie at the Magistrates hande, which dyd (manger their hartes) performe that, which the deuyne counsell had determined. Act. 2.23. Let Curtius shewe this order, or lyke warrante to his case in truth, and you shall haue an­swere.Sampson freed from selfe mur­ther. As for Sampson which pulled the house vppon hys owne person, and all that were therein. This appeareth to haue warrante from God, as well in that his strength be­ing taken from hym, was at this moment of tyme resto­red to him: as also God did by this iudgement, execute his wrath on them,Iud. 16.30 Psal. 1.1. Heb. 11.32 which were obstinately set in the chayre of Scorners. And to conclude, his actes are warranted to pro­céede of fayth, in the cononicall Epistle to the Hebrewes. Furthermore, Sampson is not to be taken as a priuate person, but he was in déede the Lords Magistrate, which office he best executed in the office of his death, wherin the Lorde by his hand, did reuenge the blasphemy of the Phi­listines and their Idolatry. And did also perfite that curse which by the Prophet Dauid is giuen to those,Psal. 109. which do af­flict them whom the Lord doth scurge. This horrible sinne is crauing vengeance, vntitl it be powred out, euen to the [Page] dredges of the Lords angry cup. Amos. 1.11 Wherefore Amos doth threat Edom, for that Israell being exiles, they vsed them most cruelly, which God sayeth by the Prophete, he wyll not leaue vnpunished. So did the Philistines to Samp­son, whome God had delyuered into their handes for hys sinne and whoredome: They put oute his eyes, and caste hym in pryson, and proclayming a Popishe feast daye to their Mungril God, that Idol Dagon (which was in forme aboue the Nauell lyke to a man, but from the belly lyke to a Fishe) they gathered themselues into his Temple, to prayse him for their victory of their enimy Sampson. The house was full of men and women, and there were all the Princes of the Philistines, and vpon the house top were 3000 men, which looked down into the house to sée Samp­son play, whome these wicked Philistines made their ies­ting Foole. But as Dauid hath sayde: Let his dayes bee fewe, and another take his office, Psal. 109. for he remembred not to shewe mercy, but persecuted the poore helplesse man, the begger and the broken harted, that he might slay him: So came it to passe. Their dayes were fewe, for euen the ho­wer of their most tryumph, was the moment of their vtter destruction. Sampson prayeth to the Lord: O Lorde Ie­houa remember me. In which wordes he confesseth Gods power, his owne sinnes, & calleth for mercy, as by the same words did the théefe vpon the crosse.Luc. 22.42. He expresseth his faith as well in that he maketh prayer to God (for without faith it is impossible in hart to call vpon God) as in y^e presently after he assayeth to doe that which he had prayed for. And with the théefe he was receyued to mercye, and his prayer heard. For his desyre was graunted him, he pulled downe the house, & so in his death he slue mo persons, then he did during the dayes of his naturall lyfe. Sampson cannot be charged, sayth that godlye and learned Martyr. Peter Martyr Iudi. ca. 6. For he sought not his owne death (but by the spirite of God he roy­cally bente) he desyred and executed herein, the iudgement [Page] of the Lorde against his enemies, which by this waye he knew should come to passe. The Apostles acts and Samp­sons he tyeth together, putting on their persons, saying: If we teach as we haue begunne, the Gospell of Christ: without doubt we shall be slayne. Well they contynued tho their preaching, they were slayne, and yet are not the causes of their owne death. So (sayth Martyr) Sampson did not rashly cast himselfe to death, but faythfully follo­wed his vocation, lyke as the hartie Souldiour, albeit the Coward say vnto him beware, go not, there are arrowes, Speares, Gunnes, and shot innumerable, wherewith yée shall perishe. They answere, what if? We go not to séeke death, we go to defend our Countrie and goods, and to bée reuenged of our enimies, to followe our calling: Euen so (sayth he) did Sampson, and was thereto ledde by the spi­rite of God. Ambrose sayth, that Sampson herein was the Image of Christ, who as he lyued, he much vexed & woun­ded the Deuill, so by his death he tryumphed against him. The Philistines he compareth with the Iewes, & Samp­son with Christ as a figure of him. The Philistines in the victory against Sampson, receyued their vtter ruine and decay. And the Iewes crucifying Christ, cast themselues into eternall damnation. The ende (sayth Peter Martyr) in nature was both one, but in condition sundry, twixte the Philistines and Sampson. In nature they both dyed, but in condition, the Philistines in surfetting, cruelty, and I­dolatry are destroyed. And Sampson endeth his naturall lyfe in repentance, in fayth and in prayer to God. Samp­son had fallen in déede sayth he, but he is turned vnto God, he calleth vpon him & was heard. As for these his wordes: Let me loose my lyfe with the Philistines, he spake them not of despaire, but he hereby humbled himselfe before God, for that he had so greatly neglected his function and calling, beséeching God hereby to be aduenged of the Philistines, who had put out the eyes of Gods magistrate, not bicause [Page] they would this way punish his trespasse, but this they did in despite of Israell, and that he should no more be able to doe them violence. And iustly (sayth mayster Bucer) dyd he sorrow for the losse of his eyes:Bucer. in Iudic. cap. 16.30. For in that he bare the person of the Lordes magistrate, the iniury done to hym was to the great losse and domage of the Iewes common weale. In this that he desyreth to dye (sayth he) he expres­seth hys earnest, and that godly and good deuotion & zeale, to the people of Israel, and to the glorye of God. For the Lorde would not that he should lyue any longer, therefore he rightly desyreth death. And bicause he was now so con­temned of the Philistines, and with him the whole people of God, and God himself also, so as these enimies began to insult against God in great pryde, he did also right & iustly aske that the Lord would take vengeance on them. Wher­fore the Lord Iehoua heard his prayer, fauoured his ende­uour, and gaue him good successe. By this we gather sayth Bucer, his death to be acceptable and approoued with God,Sampsons death, accep­table to God. otherwise his holynesse woulde not haue giuen Sampson such successe. And by this we sée sayth he, that not euerye one which caste themselues to extreme death, for the good of the people, are to be condemned, but such onely as with­out warrant from God, doe murther themselues. It was Sampsons office, to saue and delyuer his charge Israell, from the tyrannous opression of the Philistines, and sythe he could not by any possibilitie else do it, this way he right­ly fynished his function. So did Christ sayth Bucer, offer himselfe to hys enimies, from whom he might haue béene delyuered. Where againe, Sampson is by the spirite of God with Ionas, apoynted to be the figure of Christ.Sampson a Figure of our sauiour Christ. And in sundry poynts Bucer setteth downe this figure, as hée represented Christ, chiefly in that he was the delyuerer of Israel: So in these things also he became a lyuely Image of y^e most noble Mossiah. His conception was by the Aun­gell to his mother Manoah, with a speciall declaration [Page] foretolde. So was Christ to Mary, by the Angell Gabriel. The mother was barren, and brought forth no children: So was the Virgin not bearing, tyll she brought forth the Lorde Iesus. All hys lyfe he was a Nazarite, that is sepe­rate from the worlde, and dedicate to God. So was Christ Iesus. The spirite of God wrought wonderfully in mi­raculous things with him. And that he imbraced straunge persons, which in déede was sinne in the figure Sampson, yet therein doth he not most vnséemely figure and shadow Christs receyte of the Gentyls. Also that he suppressed the enemies of God, and by a secrete and vnknowne waye, and by his owne hand, and in his death ouerthrew his de­stroyers. Herein he was a most lyuely shadowe of oure Christ, who by hys death brought true Israelits lyfe, and wherin the Iewes thought to haue the victorie, as in mur­thering of the heyre, Mat. 21 38 therein they lost the inheritance, and were cast into vtter destruction, &c. Further, he did rather begin, then make perfite the delyuery of Gods people from their foes: Euen so our sauiour Christ did dayly more and more after his death, then before, worke the redemption of hys chyldren by the knowledge of the Gospell, from the hands of Satan, and shal perfite the same in the day of our resurrection. Agayne, Sampson more vexed his aduersa­ries by his death, then he did during his fight with them in lyfe:Mat. 27.64.65.66 So were the Phariseys and Iewes more troubled, Christ lying in his graue, then they were when he in prea­ching euerye where wrought their confusion, wherefore they spared no payne to seale and set watch about the Se­pulcher: Last of all, Sampson did so enter into the delyue­rie of Israell, that by this begynning, his successors myght with more encrease profyte the same: So our sauiour Ie­su begynning to preache the Gospell, and hauing in hys death wholy destroyed the power of Satan, gaue blessing vnto his Apostles and Disciples, and so to his Church, to enlarge the borders of his spirituall body, more then in his [Page] owne person, himselfe brought to passe. Thus you sée how Sampsons lyfe and death is sanctifyed, being the shadowe of Christ, and deliuered from the ignomy of selfe slaugh­ter. Of that last example of Ionas, who wyshed the Mary­ners to cast him into the Sea,Ionas. 1.2. the storye reporteth it Gods action. First by casting of lottes, then by staying the Tem­pest, and thirdly, in that the Lorde had prepared a great Fishe to swallowe vp Ionas, but chiefely the tyme of hys buryall in the belly of the Fishe, which (the text sayth) was thrée dayes and thrée nightes. And this man, this Prophet, and this his burial, doth Christ alowe for his ymage of bu­riall in the heart of the earth, saying: As Ionas was in the Whales belly three dayes and three nights, Math. 12.40. so shall the sonne of man be three dayes and three nightes, in the harte of the earth. This acte as it is here alowed of Christ for a figure of his buriall and death: So Ionas being the Lordes Pro­phet, knew from his God, that this way he should appease the sea and tempest, and therfore submitted himselfe to the ordinance of his good God. Now vpon this place in Ionas, Hierome holdeth that we ought not to cast our selues into death, but stowtely to withstande, except (sayth he) it be to conserue chastitie. Where it séemeth, he would for chasti­ties sake permit a man or woman to kyll themselues.Euse. lib. 8 cap. 17. fol. 197. An­cient Ambrose leaneth on that side also. And Eusebius Ce­sariences telleth vs of a modest Matrone, called Sophronia, the Gouernours wyfe of Rome, whose bewtie bereaued Maxentius the Tyran of his modesty: whereas he should haue defended mariage, he most wickedly sought to defyle the same, and sent such letcherous Courtiers, as he himself was, to fetch to his lust this bewtifull Dame: Sophronia told her husband, who after heauy pause cryed: And what shall we doe? To thys Tyran eyther we must yéelde, or else we must lose our lyues. But when she perceyued her husband for feare of death, woulde delyuer her to the adul­terous bedde, she subtilly saide to the Baudes which were [Page] sent, stay in a little vntill I dresse me comely, for so Noble a man as Maxentius the Emperour, and I will go wyth you, she entreth her chamber, she prayeth to God, & wyth a sworde she kylleth her self, so kéeping her chaste promise to her christian husband. The godly father Augustine ma­keth stay at this, but in the ende he sayth: the Law of God is most worthy and sure, which sayth: Thou shalt not kill. And we are rather to commende the godlye policie & chri­stian acte,The storye of godlye Dorothea. of the other christian Virgin Dorothea of Alex­andria, mentioned by Eusebius in the same chapter, who be­ing for Christs cause led to death in this Maxentius tyran­ny, was by his fylthie messengers assaulted to breake her Virginitie with the letcherous Lorde and Prince Maxen­tius. But thys golden aunswere she gaue him. It were a most wicked thing (sayth she) to take this temple of God, my body once dedicated to his honor, & to cast it nowe ey­ther to Idolatry or fleshly lusts. Secondly, I am condem­ned to death for my Lorde Christ and louing husbande, by your maysters sentence, and am preparing my selfe there­to. What? should I now yeelde to wickednesse and luste? But this is farre vnsytting your Lords estate, to alure me (a poore condemned prisoner) to so lasciuious lyfe, and by fugred words from tyrannous harte, to counterfeyte suche fayre promises. And if I could be thus bewitched to dam­nation, yet howe coulde I be perswaded of the softnesse of Maxentius harte, that cannot be mollified in the flowing Ryuers of our christian blood, which euery daye he so cru­elly sheddeth. But now this Tyran was more set on fyre by these godly denials, and would haue forced her, had not she wisely for the tyme perswaded him, from whose face (as by intermission for a tyme escaped) she priuily fledde, forsaking her house, her riches, and all she had, and that in the night tyme, with her chast body, from the face of so fyl­thie a Prince, and corrupted Courte. This Matrone had both regarde to her religion (and therefore would not of­fend [Page] against it, which sayth: Thou shalt not kyll) and to her chast conuersation also, which caused her to flie from that satanicall synke of Venus Court. And for the Romish Matrone I say, her harte God might enclyne to him by re­pentance in the twinckling of her death, & so in her Christ vouchsafe her pardon: But I cannot sée her acte to bée soundly warranted, when as we may not doe an euill, that good may come thereof. Rom. 3.8. Deut. 23.25. But surely the violent force to ad­ulterous acte, is both by the lawe of God and man, layde vpon the oppressor onely, and the oppressed is set frée. If a man fynde a betrothed mayde in the Féelde, and force her,In forced extremitie, the compel­led in thys syn guylt­lesse. and lye with her, then the man that lay with her shall dye alone, and vnto the mayde thou shalt doe nothing, bicause there is no cause of death in her. For as when a man ary­seth against his neighbour (sayth the Lord) and woundeth him to death, so is this matter. Againe, she cryed, and there was none to succour her. Loe, the violator of virginity shal dye, and the deflowred being hereto forced, shewing her whole and contynuall power to the contrary, she is by the lawe of God adiudged innocent. Here is then the lawfull remedy against rape and pollucion. Not with Lucrece to yéelde and then to kyll, or with christian Sophronia, to fall into an extreme miserie, to auoyde a pestilente mischiefe, but with best aduised Dorothe to flée, and if you cannot, with chaste Susanna to fall into the hands of Gods directi­on, to vse all power ye may to kéepe your bodyes impollu­ted. But in no wise kyll your selues, for that is repugnant to the law and will of God, which kynde of death, whatso­euer your good intentes bee, God hath promised to reuenge vpon the impenitent. And to conclude this matter (where­in for the dangerous subtyltie of flattering temptation) I haue sayde somewhat the more. I say as Father Augus­tine sayde: If we shal to auoyde sinne in vs, déeme it law­full to kyll our selues, we shoulde not suffer our bodyes to lyue one little whyle after baptisme. For what is he that [Page] lyueth and synneth not?Not lawful to kyll our selues, ther­by to shun synne. But he that kylleth himselfe, or o­thers with bloudy hande (that is without lawful authority from his God and Magistrate) let him heare what the al­mightye sayth thereto. Surely I will require your bloude wherein your lyues are, at the hande of euery beast will I re­quire it, and at the hand of man, euen at the hande of a mans brother will I require the lyfe of man, that is to say, what­soeuer it be that taketh the lyfe from man, whether it bée your selues that kyll your owne lyfe: whether it be a beast that flayeth you, or if it be thy owne brother that murthe­reth thee, thy selfe, that beast, this thy brother shal answere his bloud for thine. Looke for this ye tyrannous opressors, ye Popish murtherers, & beastly butchers of Gods saints, ye blinde guydes and dombe Dogs, ye ydle shepeards, ye obstinate heretikes, ye théeues and murtherers for mens purses, ye brawlers and fyghters, and you that kyll your selues tremble and feare. So then we maye not for anye cause, by how much soeuer we should seeme to praise God, or to auoyde daunger of the heathen, or yet to kéepe oure bodies chaste from sinfull bedde, by anye meanes laye vio­lente hands vpon our selues, thereby to bereaue our lyfe, for that act is damnable. We are to hate & flee from syn as from a Serpent, and to desyre the Lorde to ende the dayes therof,Eccle. 21.2 and to delyuer vs from that euil Satan and his bo­dye of iniquitie, yea and that by death, but yet so that the same may be to vs in peace, estranged from al violence in our selues, and alwayes according to his worde. To thys our holy Symeon giueth vs instruction, to whose succéeding words, we will giue eare, which giue to vs the cause of his peticion thus.

During the dayes of Israels miserie, Symeon euer ho­ped after release, whereby he teacheth vs, how plunged in Popery, we should expect the returne of Gods holy gospel, whereof we haue in our childrens daies, had eftsoones the [Page] experience. God make bs thankfull therefore. And this is natural that after Winter commeth Sommer, after stor­my tempest, serenious season, and after the darknesse of the night, the bright shyning day. So is it also the spiritu­all course of God in his Christ, from time to time, as the testimony therof in the scriptures is most apparante. We now are with ioye of heart to imbrace the Halcion dayes, our Sommers warmth, this quyet raigne, the shyning countenance of Gods good fauour to vs, mauger the malice of all Romanists at home and abroad, and with effect (but not in vayne) to receyue the light of the gospell, yet plen­tifully casting his blessed beames, least we haue greater cause to saye, when we see darknesse againe to shadow the sunne beames of righteousnesse. Lord that we were with Symeon dead in peace, from the miserable deaths we are lyke to féele, in the sworde of thy wrath. And nowe sayth Symeon, that as well my bodily eyes, as the inward of my soule, haue séene thy sauing health: Nowe Lorde for thys cause shall I dye most wyllingly. But if so the naturall sight of Christ, as yet an infante, and subiect to infyrmi­ties, whose glorie yet was holden in the bodye of the little Babe, wrought such and so great ioy in heart, & assurance in death to this good Symeon, how muche more ought the same Christ to worke in vs quietnesse of conscience, nowe that he is glorifyed, and the fulnesse of our lyfe perfited in him?2. Cor. 5.16 Heb. 1.2. We doe not in déede beholde Christ nowe anye more after the fleshe, or that waye to imbrace him in our armes: But he shyneth the beames of his fathers glorye into our ignorante harts, and in the bosome of our faythfull brests, he maketh his habitation. By his holy gospell he sheweth himselfe face to face, and not by the infyrmitie of his flesh, but by the deuine power of his holy spirite he teacheth vs, purgeth vs, and pardoneth our sinnes, and changeth vs to a lyfe most méete for his holy presence. And to be short, he is so absent from vs in body, that we maye with boldnesse [Page] spiritually approch to his grace,Heb. 12. Rom. 5.1. set on the right hand of his father in glory. Loe this is that christian sight and heauen­lye presence that we haue of our Christ. And if this cannot worke in vs a wyllingnesse to dye with ioye (bicause oure synnes by Christes death purged) we shal raigne with him eternally, then are we a thousand tymes more harde then the Adamant, blinder then the Moules, and more vnkinde then the vnnaturall Iewes, it is verye significante that Symeon sayth:No man sa­ued, but by hys owne fayth. Because mine eyes hath seene, &c. In which wordes are layde vp this Emphasis, that not other mens fayth could worke this comfort in this good father, excepte together his owne eyes in fayth, had séene this Babe to be hys sauiour,Abac. 2.4 Gal. 3.11. Hebr. 10.37. according to the Prophet Abacuck his saying: The iust man shall lyue by his fayth. Note he sayth not by the fayth of the Church, or by the fayth of another for him, but he sayth: he shal lyue by his owne fayth. For the fayth of an other man cannot saue thée, or yet the fayth of the whole church. Or that which more is, Christ will not saue thée, or can his death be thy lyfe, vnlesse thou in thine owne hart fyrmely beléeue in him. Wherefore let not the Pa­pist longer deceyue thee, which teach it sufficient, thoughe thou know not what to beléeue, if thou yet beléeue as their Churche beléeueth: which is the greatest daunger to thy soule that possibly can bée, eyther to rest in the later Ro­mishe fayth since the daies of Popery, or not to beléeue vpon assured knowledge of Gods promise, in the warrant of his word thy selfe. For the holy scriptures do condemne al those, which themselues effectually beléeue not in christ, and promiseth saluation to him that beléeueth.1. Pet. 2.7. To you which beleeue (sayth Peter) he is precious, but to them which beléeue not, he is the stone which the buylders refu­sed, which stone shal crushe his enemies that beléeue not al to powder.1. Ioh. 3.36 Iohn sayth: Hee that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath eternall lyfe. But he that beleeueth not, the wrath of God abydeth vpon him. And Christ our Sauiour: Hee [Page] that beleeueth in me hath eternall lyfe. Againe:Ioh. 3.18. He that be­leeueth not is condemned already, that is to saye: it is im­possible, but he that dyeth, not beléeuing, shall be damned. And to the Gallathians Paule sayth.Gal. 3.26. Ye are all the sonnes of God, bicause ye haue beleeued in Christ Iesu, but as manye as rest in the workes of the lawe, are subiect and vnder Gods cursse. By this speciall gift in euerye mans owne soule from God, is he made the sonne of God, and by no other meane is God his father, vpon whome he maye call with boldnesse, in and by his spirite, as the chylde vpon his Parentes, and shall be heard. For thus the Euangelist sayth: As many as beleued in him, he gaue them prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God. The worde that was preached to Israell in the wildernesse profited them not (sayth the au­thor to the Hebrewes, bicause it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it: yet in the wildernesse God had hys Church (Moses Aaron and the rest) which beléeued, not­withstanding the fayth of this Church, could not saue the other Israelits which beléeued not: No more can the fayth of the church of God, nowe saue them which are not con­glutinate by the same spirite, in the fayth of Christ, & loue in him, by which the whole body growing together by sy­newes and ioynts, doth encrease to an holye temple in the Lorde. But without this coniunction, no fayth,Ephe. 2.21 no saluati­on, or can the workes of such please God, in whose heartes Christ dwelleth not by fayth, as sayth the scriptures, with­out fayth it is impossible to please God. I denie not,Rom. 14.23. Gen. 18. but the fayth and godlynesse of some, may temporally bring some benefite to the Infydels, as the Cities of Sodome had bene saued, if there had bene founde in them but ten iuste per­sons. And for Helias sake, the wicked king Achab, Iesabel, The fayth­full may ob­tayne tem­porall bles­sings and bodily helth, but saluati­on is the gift of God, to him that beleeueth onely. and that persecuting kingdome Samaria, had raine to fertyl the soyle, which thrée yeares had lyen barren. Also the E­uangelists report the fayth of them, which bare the man taken with Palsye, much to profyte his health, to whose [Page] fayth the Lorde Christ gaue respect, and not chiefely their worke, and healed the man. But to the man he sayde: My sonne thy synnes are forgiuen thee. This worde (sonne) ap­prooueth the Palsye man to beléeue in Christ, by which fayth his sinnes are forgiuen him, as by his bearers fayth his body was healed.Luc. 9.8. Mar. 2.3. Mat. 9.1 I also comfortably confesse, that the fayth of our father Abraham, doth so much profite his po­steritie, bicause of the couenant of God with him, and hys seede after him, so as they are imputed to be gods children, and that so long as they continue in that couenant. But when they degenerate from their fathers fayth,Gen. 17. God cut­teth of this imputation, and that the chylde borne of con­trarie parents, as the father an Infidell, the mother a chri­stian,1. Cor. 7.14. Abac. 2. Ezec. 18.20. I say with Paule that the chylde is holye, through the fayth of the beléeuing parent. But to iustification it is established, that euerye man should be saued by his owne fayth. To this sayth Ezechiel. The righteousnesse of the righteous shal be vpon him, and the wickednesse of the wic­ked shall be vpon himselfe. To this end serueth that whole excellent Chapter, to the reading whereof I referre thée. The prayers of the faythfull doe much preuayle to those, that yet are not fully brought to Christ. Yea, & the ardent zeale of others fayth, doth enflame the soules of their bre­thren, to follow their steps in Christ, and the prayer of one faythful man, doth promise auayle to another, for encrease in fayth.Ephe. 6.18 19. Phil. 1.19. Wherefore Paule prayeth for all saints, and de­syreth them to pray for him. For by the prayers of the Phillipians, he perswadeth the trouble of the false Pro­phets to turne to his saluation, that is their prayer to God for his pacience, shall profyte him to beare the crosse wyth silence,Iam 5.16 which bringeth peace in Christ. And so in such sort it is that Iames sayth. The prayer of the iuste auayleth much, wherfore pray one for another, that ye may be saued. But if God by his grace giue not this grace into man to beléeue and suffer for him, that man cannot by other mens [Page] fayth be saued, as we haue sufficiently prooued, wherefore Symeon rightly reioyceth, that his proper eyes, to saye the eyes of his fayth, and also of bodye, haue had the experi­mented perswasion in his heart, that this borne Babe Ie­sus the Virgins son, is his sauiour. But let no man dreame here, that Symeons solace is of that, that only he saw with his bodily eyes, the body of Christ. For notwithstanding that sight, had he not with the eyes of his fayth beholden Christ for his onely Sauiour, he had died most sorrowfull. What did it profite the Phariseys, Iewes, Pilate, Cai­phas, and the tormentors of Christ, that they sawe hym whom they pierced? No more then it doth the Traytor ha­uing sentence of death pronounced against him, to loke vp­on the face of the Iudge, hasting the expectation of his final decrée. Such is the comforte to all those Papistes, which dreame and deceyue the worlde, in this imagination, that Christs body is to our sight offred really, corporally, fleshe, bloud, and bone, as he was borne of the Virgin Mary, in the sacryfice of their dead Masse.A reproofe to the Po­pishe Masse For as the Iewes were condemned for this sight, bicause then when they so sawe him, they crucifyed him: So are they Papistes, when as with the Iewes, the Popishe Priest, if he coulde shewe thée in déede, the bodye of his Christ in his abhominable Masse, doth in sacryficing Christ euery daye, so often cruci­fie him afreshe. For sayth the Hebrewes, where so euer Christ is offred, there he is also deade, that is to say, againe crucified. Their comforte is endlesse woe, in the same E­pistle descrybed thus. He that despiseth Moses lawe, Heb. 10.28 dyeth without mercy, &c. Of how much more punishment sup­pose you shall he be, which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God (as doe the Papistes, for where God hath exalted him on high, no more subiect to death, they kill him euery day at their Masse, and eate him (they say) in that cake) & counteth the bloud of the Testament, as an vnholy thing, wherewith he was sanctifyed, and doth despite that Spi­rite [Page] of grace.Hebr. frō the 7. to the. 11. cap. Herein the Papistes are also touched, for Paule sayth, the holynesse of this bloud, is once onely to be offered, no more to be offred, bicause in that one Oblation once for al offred, he hath made perfect for euer, those which be sanctifyed. They doe despite also the Spirite of grace, which sayth in the same Chapter. Nowe where there is re­mission of these things, there is no more offring for synne. Yet the Popishe Priest, wil euery day iterate this Sacri­fice, wyping thy eyes with thys miste, it is an vnbloudy sa­cryfice. For no more may Christ be offered bloudy. But I aske the shauen Gentleman, whether he offer truely the bodye of Christ or no? If he say he doth, then I aske hym whether the same body that rose from death, and was cru­cyfied? To this if he say yea: then agayne I say, wheresoe­uer that body is offred, he must of force in bloud be offred, forsomuch as he hath revnited the same to his soule, and Godhead, and is not a spirite without fleshe and bloud, as he sayth to Thomas.Lu. 24.39. Secondly, if you could and doe offer his body without bloud,An vnblou­die sacryfice can neuer take awaye sinne. you must of force new agayne kill him, and tread a freshe that glorious Wyne presse, which ye denie to doe. Thirdly, if your sacrifice be an vnbloudye Sacrifice, then cannot it obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes (which is the colour ye haue to offer it, but your owne lu­cring luste is the cause of it) For the Apostle sayth, that without blood,Heb. 9.22 there is no forgiuenesse. And without a testa­ment, there is no promise, & whersoeuer this Testamente and bodye is offred, there of necessitie must be the death of the Testator. But you chalenge the Testamente to haue forgiuenesse of synnes, by your daylie sacryfice: it follow­eth of necessitie then, that in this your sacryficing Testa­ment, you must again kyll Christ the Testator. For thus sayth the text. For where a Testament is, there must be the death of him that made the Testament. And if you wil reply that Christ is aliue, and you kill him not which cannot die, and yet ye offer him, I saye first, that in the sacrifice of [Page] Christes Testament, vnlesse he dye, the Testament is of no force, so long as he liueth that made it. And then I saye it is most absurde, to say that you can offer Christ, and not make him to suffer death againe. When as the text sayth: Christ is not entred into the holy places, Heb. 9.24 that are made wyth handes, which are symilituds of the true sanctuary, but is en­tred into very heauen. (Marke where our Christ offred is? not in the priests hands) to appeare in the sight of God for vs. Not that he should offer himselfe often, as the high priest entred into the holy place euery yere, with other blood (now marke to this reason) for then must he haue often suffered synce the foundation of the worlde, Where and whensoeuer Christ is of­fred, there and then he is also slayn, and agayne crucifyed: But he can no more dye. therefore can he no more be offered. but now he hath appea­red once to put away synne, by the sacryfice of himself. Note how elegantly he sayth, by the sacrifice of himselfe, not of o­ther after, or for him, hath he put awaye sinne. And forget not that he sayth, Christ is not gone to heauen, to the ende he should be often offered, where the daylie offering of the Popishe Masse is denied by Paule, to be the offering of Christ, and that, that Oblation is against the will of God, who hath ascended the heauens, bicause he will no more be offered (for he can no more be slaine) and for that he hath obtained, in that his owne sacryfice already for vs eternall redemption. And laste of all he sayth, that whensoeuer Christ is offred, he is therewith slayne. O Lorde,Hebr. 9.12 if wyth pure eyes we coulde looke into the booke of lyfe, the worde of God, how could this doltish damnable doctrine of Rome deuoure vs? and this is most certaine,The corpo­rall presence of Christes body, not so profitable to be wyth vs. that this corporall sight of Christes body, should rather hinder then help vs? For Christ sayth, vnlesse y^t he be taken from vs, his holye spirite will not come to vs, and if we haue not the spirite of God in vs, we are none of Christs.Ioh. 16.7. Rom 8.9. Act. 3.21. 1. Cor. 15.25. This corporal pre­sence is absolutely with a cloude taken from our eyes, and is at the right hande of God, and shal containe the heauens, till his enimies be made his footestoole. But the last enimy is death, therfore till death, by the dissolution of the world [Page] be slaine, shall the corporall bodye of Christ inhabite the heauens, from whence the faythfull (and not from the priests head) doe looke then for him their sauiour, whose comming shall be with glorie, and therefore not inuisiblye in a Popishe cake. Thy sight, knowledge and fayth in Christ, now he is ascended, must therefore be no more car­nall,2. Cor. 5.7 but onely spirituall, as Paule teacheth thée saying: we walke by fayth, and not by sight, neuerthelesse we are bold, & loue rather to remoue out of the body, and to dwell with the Lorde. Againe: Henceforth know we no man af­ter the fleshe, Vers. 16. yea though wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Fynally, Symeon sawe Christ borne, & was blessed. But we beléeue in him with Symeon, that is dead, yea rysen agayne, & set at the right hande of God his father, and maketh interces­sion for vs, vpon which sight our Sauior hath pronounced, in check of Thomas sturdy fayth:Ioh. 20.29 Thomas thou beleeuest bicause thou hast seene, but I say vnto thee Thomas, blessed are they which see not, and yet beleeue. This fayth in Christ is the speciall gifte of God (I tell thée once agayne good Reader) and ryseth not of our selues.1. Cor. 3.14. Mat. 16.17 For the natural man cannot perceyue the things that be of God. Thou art (sayth Peter) the sonne of the lyuing God. Truely beloued Pe­ter, but who gaue thée this fayth? Not flesh and bloud, but my heauenly father (sayth Christ) which is in heauen. It is giuen to you sayth Paule to the Philippians, not onely that you should beléeue, but that you shoulde also suffer for his sake. This is nourished and encreased by his worde. For fayth commeth by hearing (not of a Popishe Masse,Rom. 10.17. or Saraphicall Doctor but) of the word of God. By the mi­nisterie of preaching, and not by daylie sacryficing is this obteyned. How shall they heare without a preacher (sayth Paule) he sayth not without a Massemunger. By his Sa­craments and prayer the same encreased, wherefore pray earnestly with the Apostles:Luc. 17.5. O Lorde encrease our sayth. [Page] And if thou wouldest learne to know that fayth which only iustifyeth. This it is, to beléeue vndoubtedly the Symbole of thy Creede, or more shortly, to beleeue God to be thy good God, that goodnesse from whome all goodnesse commeth, to be in Christ thy best beloued Father, thy Christ to be thy brother, Lord, and onely sauiour, by whose death and lyfe, thou art in him fréed from synne, death and Hell. The holy Ghost, to be the Lorde and giuer of lyfe, thy comforte and Arha of saluation, thy Guyde,What fayth it is that iustifyeth. and author of all goodnesse in thée, and that power by whome thou doest thus beléeue, by the rule of the worde and promise of God, and by hys holynesse sanctifyed doest lyue, and loue this thy good God and thy brethren for and by him. And as the fruitfull trée in his tyme giueth profitable fruite: So doest thou in this his spirite by thy good workes profite his church, and glory thy father which is in heauen. Mat. 5.16. This is that fayth which ius­tifyeth, and is the onely gifte of God. The Lorde graunt it sounde, perfite, stable, experimented, and alwayes sted­fast, as well in the author of this booke, as the Readers thereof, for Christes sake our Lorde. So shall we see Chri­stes day with Abraham, imbrace him with Symeon, depart in peace, and rest in ioy.

All other opinions besides this, or not fyxed in this, are called fayth, as an Image beareth the name of a man: But as the Image is without lyfe: so such fayth not a­dourned with good workes, as Iames sayth (is an Image of fayth) a deade fayth. This fayth working by loue,Fayth com­pared to a Vyne. is by Barnarde compared to a Vine thus. Fayth is the Vine, chri­stian lyfe be her branches, Psal. 2. and good woorkes her clustering Grapes. And Chysostome compareth it as elegantly to a Lampe wryting vpon Mathew. For as a Lamp burning, giueth light to the whole house: So doth fayth giue light & intelligence of God and Christ, to the soule of man, but as in a Lampe, fyre and Oyle are ioyned together: so in the shyning Cresset of a good conscience, are contynually resi­ant [Page] fayth and good workes.True fayth and good workes, re­sydent in a good consci­ence alwaies Notwithstanding as the Trée is before the Apple: so doth fayth go before good workes. So the Apostle connexing Fayth, Hope, and Loue together, giueth fayth the fyrst place. And Augustine in his booke de fide & operibus sayth. Except fayth go before, a godly lyfe cannot in any wise come after.Cap. 7. If we be Virgins, hauing our Lamps thus burning, we shall be sure to enter wyth our Brydegrome Christ into his heauenly chamber:Mat. 25.10 But in no case can our Oyle doe anye others good, for our owne works shall follow vs, good or euill, they shall not be impar­ted to others.Apoc 14. Ioh. 14. If we become such Vines, our father wyll proyne and purge vs (when he cutteth downe the wythe­red Images and dead branches) and will make vs more fruitfull. Laste of all note here, that Symeon hauing séene the Saluation set by the God of heauen, stayeth his consci­ence in him (which is the true nature of lyuely fayth) and though there be infynite saluations sought for by men, yet he hungreth after Gods saluation, and sayth: Now I haue ynough, let me Lord depart in peace. For my eyes haue seene thy saluation. Hee that hath Christ, hath lyfe. No Christ, no lyfe. So deare Reader, hauing by the mercies of god, once with the eyes of our fayth, in hart séene & confes­sed Christ our saluation. Though the Iewe, the Pharisey, the Turke, the Panyme, Papist, and carnall Atheist, haue their trust in broken Cysterns, which can holde no water: yet doe thou stande with Symeon, and the iust in lyfe, to the ende of death in persecution and pleasure, to this the salua­tion giuen of God, to Iewe and Gentyle, euen the Lorde Iesus. And saye to kings and Prelates, there is no other name giuen vnder heauen, wherein we can be saued, but the name Iesus.Act. 4.12. Nor can other foundation be layde, then which is already layde, euen the Lorde Iesus. Or can anye man attaine to iustifycation before the iust father, by other then his beloued sonne, in whome alone he resteth (for our synnes well pleased? Neyther are we from the pyt of per­rillous death in Hell, redéemed by Golde or syluer, but by [Page] the bloud of this immaculate and vndefyled Lambe Ie­sus Christ, which most worthye is called a Sauiour,1. Pet. 1.18.19. Mat. 1.21. bi­cause he saueth his people from their synnes. For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation, sayth he. The worde that he vseth is [...], which importeth much more, then in one word can be expressed. Namely Christ to be that sauing mat­ter of health, which he had appointed alone to all his cho­sen seruants, from the fyrst Adam, to the last borne chylde of a woman.

We will now by thy pacience (christian brother) dwell with our sauing health Iesus Christ a little, and from hys holye worde learne fyrst, what is this saluation, and why he is called a Sauiour. Secondly by what meanes he sa­ueth. Thirdly from what he saueth. And last of all, who they be, which by this Sauiour are saued. And by that we haue fynished these questions, I rest in hope, thou wylte prayse God for his glorious sonne Iesus Christ, thy omni­potente and onely Sauiour, of God our father, giuen to all people, nations, kyndreds and tongues.

What and who this Saluation is,Luc. 2.10. the Euangelist S. Luke in thrée wordes descrybeth, to the Shepheards kée­ping and watching their shéepe by night, thus: Beholde, I bring you tydings of great ioye, for this day is borne to you the Sauyour, which is Christ the Lorde. Why he is called a Sauiour, the Angel sheweth to Ioseph saying:Mat. 1.21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus. For he shall saue his people from theyr synnes. Which one sentence aunswereth all these our for­mer questions. Who is this Sauiour? euen Iesus.Why Christ is called a a Sauiour. What is this Iesus? Christ the Lorde. Why called a Sauiour, bicause he shall saue his people from their synnes. From what saueth he? from synne. Whome saueth he? his peo­ple. But let vs to our greater consolation pierce this mat­ter a little further. And fyrst who, and what is this Saui­our, which the Father hath set to be his onely saluation to Iewe and Gentyle? It is as we sayde, Iesus Christ the [Page] Lorde. And this Iesus is not that Iehosuah, which by hym raigned, or yet the sonne of Syrach, or Iesus called Iustus, or any of that sort, all which were very godly men & chyl­dren of this lyfe. But this Iesus Christ the Lorde our sal­uation, is the onely begotten sonne of God, begotten of the father before all worldes, of the same essence or being, na­ture and substance with the father, coeternall and coequal, and also very man borne of the Virgin Mary, which hu­manitie is so conioyned with his Deitie, that it is for euer inseperable. And to be short, in him his fathers full glorye to vs is represented. Loe (deare Reader) this is the state of thy Sauiour, euen no other then God himselfe, the se­cond person incarnate. To approue Christ to be God con­substanciall and coequal, what should I néede to thee, which being a christian,Christ God by scripture prooued. doest ex professo, by his spirituall grace, fyrmely beléeue the same. Yet that thy fayth herein maye be the more stedfast, and thy conscience assured, I will giue thee some testimony thereof out of the booke of God. First Esay the noble and Euangelicall Prophete, sayth in the person of God:Esa. 43.11. I, euen I am the Lord, and besydes me there is no Sauiour. Againe, the whole 45 chapter of Esay, but specially the 21 verse, denyeth other Sauiour then God, as thus: There is no other God besydes me. But Esay in the fathers person, thus speaketh of, and to Christ Iesus. I will also giue thee for a light to the Gentils, Esa. 49. Iere. 23.6. that thou mayest be my saluation to the ende of the worlde. And agayne, Ie­remy calleth Christ the sonne of Dauid, the lord our righte­ousnesse. Now then, syth there is no God but one, no other Sauiour and righteousnesse but the deuyne power, it must necessarily follow, that Christ Iesus our Lorde, being this Sauiour and righteousnesse, is verye God coequall with the father. The same Prophete also sayth of GOD thus: The worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse, Esa. 45.23. and shall not returne: that euery knee shall bow to mee, and eue­rye tongue shall sweare by me. But Paule to the Philippi­ans [Page] doth truely apply this to Christ, saying:Phil. 2.9.10.11. He hath giuen him a name aboue all names, that in the name of Iesus euery knee should bow, both of things in heauen and in earth, and vnder the earth, and that al tongues should confesse Christ to be the Lorde, to the glory of God the father. Therfore con­clude soundly, that Iesus Christ is very and perfite GOD with the father. Doth not Iohn say:Ioh. 1.14. The worde (which is Christ) was God, and the worde became fleshe. Therefore when we worship the sonne Christ, and honor him as God, we doe no iniury to the almighty God and iealous father, but thereby truely honor him, as the Apostle sayth: The father hath giuen all iudgement (that is all right and admi­nistration of power and glory) vnto the sonne, Ioh. 5.22. that al they which honor the father, should honor the sonne also. And of such iealousie is the Lorde God of his honor, that he wyll not imparte it, or any part therof to any other beside him­selfe, as Esay testifyeth,Esa. 42. I am the Lorde (that is of my selfe) and my glory will I giue to no other. But he gyueth his glory to his sonne Christ, as Christ witnesseth thus: Father glorifye mee, with the glory which I had with thee, Ioh. 17.5. before the worlde was. Therefore Christ is of selfe sub­stance with the father God and glorious. Also Christ sayth: Al that the father hath are mine. Ioh. 17.18. But y^e Father hath deuyne nature, Ergo so hath Christ our Lorde his sonne. Agayne Esay sayth: In him shall the Gentyls trust. Esa. 11. Iere. 17. But Ieremy accursseth al them that trust in man, but blesseth them that hope in God. Therfore of necessitie Christ is God, for he hath assured vs often tymes blessed if we trust in him, say­ing: He that trusteth in me, hath eternall lyfe. Againe,Ioh. 6.47 he that truely forgiueth sinnes is God. But Christ doth true­ly forgiue sinnes. Ergo he is God. Paule calleth Christe our hope, and to the Romanes our GOD, which is to be praysed for all worldes.Rom. 9.5 1. Ioh. 5.20 And the deuyne Euangelist S. Iohn, calleth Christ the true God, and eternall lyfe. And a hundred such authorities might I bring thée (good Reader) [Page] out of the holye booke of God, but any one thence truely a­leaged, is a sufficient bulwarke to the conscience, agaynst all the fyrie dartes of the Deuils temptation. That Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin, is no other then the second per­son, and onely begotten sonne of the father, consubstanti­all, coeternall and coequall, these places make knowne. Paule receyueth from the Psalmist thys warrante thus: Vnto which of the Angels sayde God at any tyme, Psal. 2.7. Hebr. 1.5. thou art my sonne, this day haue I begotten thee. Which wordes he most aptly applyeth to Iesus Christ. And what can be more manifest then that most deuyne witnesse of the Fa­ther, and testimony of the holye ghost, at the baptisme of Christ our sauiour, where from the heauens he thundred these wordes to his Disciples and the Iewes, of Iesus Christ: This is my beloued sonne, in whome I am well pleased. Mat. 3.17. & 17.5. The Lorde Christ is of the same substance wyth the Father coeternall, destinct from the father, but not se­perate.Cirillus in Ioh. 6.1. To vse the wordes of the auncient father Cirill. It is no absurdity, to saye that Christ is destinct from the father,Christ of one substāce with the fa­ther. as the running water is from his Fountayne, the Sunne beames from the Sunne, the heate from the fyre. These Images so passe from their substance, as they are euer of and with the same, as the Sunne beames are de­stinct from the Sunne, and yet not seperate from it: The Ryuer so commeth from the Fountayne, as it is the selfe water and not seperate, but destinct by running from the Fountayne. But as no simile can in all poyntes holde hys Analogian with his matter by him resembled: So let vs go to the warrante of the worde, where the mouth of our God shall teache vs this Homonsion, that Christ in his de­uyne nature, is consubstanciall, coeternall and coequall with his father.Esa. 53. Ioh. 1.1. Ioh. 10.30 Coeternall. Esay sayth: His birth day who can recken. Iohn sayth: In the beginning was the worde, that is the sonne of God. And our Sauiour: My father and I are one. One in substance, eternity, power, equalitie and [Page] glory. This Christ is coequal with his father,Zacha. 13. also the Pro­phet Zachary doth affirme in the fathers person thus: A­ryse O sworde vpon my Shepheard, and vpon the man that is my fellow, sayth the Lord of hostes. Smyte the Shepherd and the Sheepe shal be scattered. Beholde, he calleth the Shepheard thus to be striken his equall,Mat. 16.16 Ioh. 6.69. which Shepherd the Euangelists testifye is Christ Iesus, the sonne of the lyuing God. This Iesus coeternall, consubstanciall, coe­quall, and his onely nature, beyonde all tyme, and with­out begynning as he is God. In the fulnesse of tyme, tooke our nature vpon him also, and became manne, that so he might be this Shepheard that should be beaten, and his shéepe scattred, that the little ones might be brought to him there Lorde and Sauiour.

This Christ was promised to Adam at his fall,Apo. 12.9. Gen. 3. in con­demnation of the olde Serpente Satanas. The seede of the woman shall breake thy heade. The Serpents heade is the power of Satan, which the bodye of the scriptures te­stifye Christ to haue trode vnder foote. And Christ is here called Seede, to testifye the truth of his humaine nature.Christ cal­led seede and why? And the womans séede, not the séede of man, in respect of his conception and natiuitie, without the séede of man, of the Virgin Mary by the holy ghost. And in as much as she was the true seede of Adam, Abraham, and Dauid, it must néeds be that Christ comming of her, must also verily and in deede of her nature be partaker of ours, & be very man, as he is verely God.Gal. 3.17. Mat. 1.12. Luc. 3.23.24. &c. Wherfore Paule to the Gallathians affyrmeth Iesus Christ to haue taken fleshe, and to be of Abrahams seede. Mathewe and Luke doe drawe by lyniall discente the womans séede Christ Iesus, to be of the natu­rall séede with Adam, Abraham, and Dauid, and of theyr fleshe and bloud, and so of the same fleshy substance, sinne excepted. To conclude, he was conceyued by the holye ghost, encreased in his mothers wombe, was borne of her, suckt of her breasts, grewe as a chylde to mans estate, and [Page] into increase of godly grace in his humanitie. He also had all the instruments of our Nature (sinne onely excepted.) Wherfore we worthyly cursse for Anathema, Valentyne, Maryon, Eutiches, Appelles and Manachae, with all other their adherents and fautors, which derogate from the de­uyne, the humayne nature in Christ, and doe faythfullye conclude with Paule to the Philippians,Phil. 2.6. when Christ was in the shape of God, he thought it no robery to bee equall with God, but he humbled hymselfe, and tooke vpon hym the shape of a seruant, and was made lyke vnto man, & was founde in shape as a man, he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death, euen to the death of the crosse. For by this and that we haue sayde, it appeareth sufficiently, that our Sauiour Christ is verye God, and very man consub­stantiall with his father, and of self nature wyth vs, sinne onely excepted.

But least anye man should dreame that I ioyne with their pestiferous Arius, Bulling. deca. 4. ser. 6. who taught that Christ the sonne of God receyued onely our fleshe without a soule, and the Deitie to stande in stead thereof. Or with Apolinarius which graunteth Christ to haue a soule, but not endued with her qualities: I say as the scripture sayth, that Christ in his humanitie consisteth of two partes, of perfite soule, and perfite flesh, with the whole minde, reason and iudge­ment of the soule,Mat. 20.28. Mat. 26.38. Ioh. 12.27 Luc. 22.15 &c. The sonne of man (sayeth Christ) came not to be ministred vnto, but to minister, and to giue his soule for the redemption for many. Agayne: My soule is heauie vnto death (sayth our Sauyour) Nowe my soule is troubled. I haue desyred to eate this Pasouer with you be­fore I suffer. All which to be sory, heauie, troubled, and af­fectionate, are passions of the minde, and proper to the soule, and approue Iesus Christ to haue with vs animam rationalem, a reasonable soule & humayne fleshe subsisting, as that holye father Athanasius hath it in hys Symbole of our most christian fayth, with whom we also say Christ is [Page] God, of the substance of his father before all worlds, man of the substance of his mother borne in the worlde, perfite God and perfite man, of a reasonable soule and humayne fleshe subsisting. The which Deitie is so knytte in vnitie, that after his death in his resurrection, he reassuming to his Godhead his soule and bodye, is ascended in the same vp into aboue all heauens, on the right hande his Father,Christs na­turall body but in one place. but yet not confounding the substance of the Deitie, or of his humanitie, but eche nature styll and alwayes kéepeth his proper qualitie: As for example,Tertul. li. de car christi. August. ad Dar. Epist. 57. his Godhead to be in all places at one instante, and his body to contayne onely one place, as to the holye Scriptures Saint Augustine subscrybeth to Dardanus. We must take héede (sayeth he) that we doe not so preach the deuyne nature of Christ, that we take away the truth, that is the true propertie of hys bodye. As he is God (sayth he a little after) he is euerye where, but as he is man, he is onely in heauen, yet for the coniunction of the two natures in Christ, sundry tymes in Scripture, that is spoken of the one, which is proper to the other: As in example: No man ascendeth into heauen, Ioh. 3.1.9 but the same which came from heauen, euen the sonne of man which is in heauen. And yet was not Christ ascended, but in earth: not glorifyed, but subiect to death: But bicause of the coniunction with the deuyne nature, that is communi­cated to the humayne nature in spéeche, which in déede and truth was onely performed in his Deitie. Agayne,Act. 20.2 ye are bought with the bloud of God. Who knoweth not that this actiō was performed in the humane nature of Christ? But bicause he is very God, and the nature of his humani­tie so connexed, that it is inseperable, therfore this Conio­nian and participation of the two natures is often vsed. And for thys cause we say God is borne, deade and cruci­fyed for vs, when the humane nature onely was so. But perhaps it maye astonie thée, when I say that the two na­tures in Christ be inseperable, and yet the Godhead is in [Page] many places. Where his humanity is not, nay his deuine nature in all places, and his humane nature onely in hea­uen. But consyder in thy self a perfite mirror and ymage hereof. Thy soule and body are of two natures, the one a spirite, the other a compact forme of fleshe, the one mortal, the other cannot dye. Yet during lyfe they are inseperably knit both natures in one, & in such sorte, as eyther nature notwithstanding, do kéepe their sundry condition. The bo­dye sléepeth, but the soule is alwayes waking: the body ea­teth and drinketh naturall meates, the soule onely féedeth of the worde of God: the body is sicke and dyeth, the soule is for the most parte best healthy, when the body is nearest death, and most lyuely when she is discharged of the bodye of synne by death: Agayne, the soule resting with the bo­dy, is also the selfe instant by her powers, at the vtmoste partes of the worlde, and aboue the clowds, whether shée hath daylie accesse by fayth and inuocation, yet for al this, the body is but in one place: So is it in Christ. He is risen, he is not here, Mar. 16.6. sayth the Angell to the women, which came to annoynte Christ in his graue. This was spoken of hys humanitie, now glorifyed. But according to his deuyne nature, himselfe hath sayde: Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name, Math. 18.20. there am I in the middest of them. Thus thou séest who, and what is the Lords saluati­on. Namely Iesus Christ the Lorde, perfite God, the one­ly begotten sonne of God, eternall, equall, and of selfe sub­stance with his father, God and man, borne of the Virgin Mary, ascended vp in glory, reseruing thée eche propertie of eyther nature, not confounding the persons, nor deuy­ding the substance.

Now resteth it to sée also somewhat more of the valor of thy Sauyour in his deuyne nature, his valor to thée, which best thou shalt perceiue by those noble names (accor­ding their effects) which the sacred scriptures attribute vn­to Christ,The valour of Christ in hymself, and to vs. our one and onely God, with the Father and the [Page] holy ghost. First, he is called Tetragramaton or Iehouah, which signifyeth that Christ our god with his father, is of his owne essence and being, hath power and lyfe in him­selfe, not néeding the helpe of any other, but is that suffici­encie, which plentifully satisfyeth all others of his fulnes. To be shorte, the eternall god without begynning and en­ding. In whom we lyue, moue, and haue our being. Act. 17.28 Apo. 1.11. He is Alpha and Omega, the fyrst and the last, which contayneth all in all in himselfe. He is also called Adonay of the He­brews, which of a certaine conceyte, would not pronounce hym Tetragramaton or Iehouah rarely, but in place there­of set thys name Adonay (that is ineffable) which all the Interpretors expounde by Dominus, Lord. And rightly is Christ with his Father called Lorde. For he hath giuen the Regiment of heauen and earth vnto him.Mat. 28.18 Col. 1.16. And besydes hym there is none, to whome all things visyble and inuy­sible ought to yéelde their obedience. And to this name is added Sabaoth, which some interprete the Lord of powers, some the Lorde of Hostes, the god of battle. He it is which ouerthroweth with his myght, all power that sturteth vp agaynst god, and wyth his armye doth he pull downe the pryde of mightie kings and huge Nations. Thys is that Michael who with his army of Angels, beate downe Sa­tan from the heauenly habitation of God in his church mi­litant. Thys is that Emperour and Monarche,Apo. 12.7.9. to whome all kings shall stoupe. This is that most tryumphant con­queror, who with most symple and small creatures, hath, can and wyll, ouerthrow myghtie Gyants, huge armies, puyssant Princes and mightie Monarches of the worlde. In his campe are infinite Angels, Thousande thousands ministred to him (sayth Daniell) and ten thousand thou­sands stood before him. Dan. 7.10 Beholde of what Maiestie thys christ our Lorde of Hostes is, of what force and power, when as one Angell of these infinite thousands, could and did in one night, destroy and kyll in the hoste of Sennache­rib [Page] (which cruelly beséeched the Lordes cytie Ierusalem) one hundred forescore and fiue thousand of fyghting Soul­diours. With water, darknesse, Frogs, Flyes and Gras­hoppers, he wasted and destroyed the pride of the most fer­tyll lande Egypt. With the noyce of Chariots, he droue to flyght the kings of Ashur. And who is able to withstande his myght? For in his army all the Planets and Starres, the wyndes, fyrie lyghtes, Ice, Frost, Snow, rayne, Fyre and water. Al Deuils in Hell, the ayre and Fyrmament, all men and kings and all their powers, and at one worde all creatures in heauen, earth and Hell, visyble and inui­sible. All these are his to vse, at hys good pleasure, where he wyll, when he luste, and during his set purpose, executing hys vengeance vpon his enimies, but the defence of hys Churche.

Sometyme also he is called Aelion. 1. excelsus, high. As Dauid sayth.Psal. 113. The Lorde is high aboue all Nations, and hys glory aboue the heauens. Againe, who is lyke the Lord our God, that hath hys dwelling so highe, and yet abaseth hym­selfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth. Euen vnto thys high throne is our Lorde Christ ascended, aboue all heauens, and set at the right hand of his father on high, to beholde the things that are done in earth. From this height he sawe Damasco her myserie, and Saules pryde and from thence stroake this cruell Tyran to the earth, in the mydst of his force and seruantes, whose brightnesse stroke Saule with blyndnes, but in great mercy wrought his conuersion, & of persecuting Saule changed him (and that bycause he had chosen hym) to preaching Paule. And also of a most zealous Pharisey in blyndnesse, made him most feruent in the Gospell of God, to all our comfortes which be Gentyls. For thys our Lord Christ Aelion, most highe hath consecrated Paule aboue Peter, to be our espe­ciall Apostle, both at Rome and else where in the rounde world

Our Sauyour Christ our God,Iere. 20. Esa. 42. is also called of the He­brewes El. to say of his great strength. For whatsoeuer he wyll doe, that can he doe. For which cause he is called by the Prophets: The God of strength, and the mightye Lorde or Gygante. Sometyme also Eloah (and of the Tri­nitie in coniunction we may say Elohim) which signifyeth God our Christ in his deuyne nature, to be alwayes and euery where present: in heauen and in earth, and in peace and warre: in persecution and preaching peace: in workes and playes: in actes and thoughtes: in lyfe and death: in all places at one and selfe instante. Of whose presence the Psalmist sayth thus: Whether shall I go from thy Spirite, Psal. 139. or where shall I flee from thy face? If I ascend into heauen, thou art there, if I go down to hell, thou art there also. But if I shall take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the farthest part of the Sea, euen there shall thy hande gouerne me, and thy right hande shall beholde me. And Paule aptly pronounceth our Lordes presence to the Athenians, Act. 17.28 testify­ing him not to be farre from them, but they in him rather, saying: For in him we lyue, moue & haue our being. And it séemeth probable for this cause, the Grecians to haue called God Theos, and the Latines to haue formed thence thys worde Deus. As one learned affyrmeth Theos to come of [...] of redynesse and running to and fro, & so is God called by such a name, as best can expresse his presence, who is neuer absent from mortall men in earth, but to e­uery man in all places gyueth all things that they possesse. Of which his liberalitie, some suppose him to be called Deus a dando, for that he gyueth to all men that they haue. God our Lorde and Christ is also called Schaddai (.i.) suffi­cient in himselfe, and the sufficientcy to all creatures, that whosoeuer hath him to their Lorde, hath all sufficientcy to body and soule, to this, and the lyfe eternall. And in oure tongue we call Christ in his deuyne nature God, that is the most principall and best good. Lastly, he is called the [Page] God of Abraham, the God of Isaack, the God of Iacob, in­sinuating vnto vs, from whence the holynesse of these Fa­thers with their fayth came. And also that as we are the posteritie of the Noble Abraham by fayth in Christ: So is he to vs our best, good, and most excellent God, so that with Paule we may conclude our selues in him most ver­tuous,Rom. 8.31.32. sufficient and blessed, saying: If God be on our syde who can be against vs. It is God that iustifyeth, who shall condemne? Againe, if he hath giuen vs Christ, how shal he not giue vs all things with him? And by him we shall bée more then Conquerors. Loe, this god is thy Iesus, whose power is prest and ready to thy best good, if thou faythfully put thy trust in him. He is also called the Lordes Christ, which word Christ,Luc. 4.18. Esa. 61.1. importeth his honorable Function, by the excellent Oyntment aboue his fellowes, euen the holy ghost, by which he is annoynted of his father, to be the king and Priest of his Church for euer, according to this say­ing:Heb. 7.17 Thou art a priest for euer, after the order of Melchesi­dech. So then he is called Iesus of the worde Iesehak, and so called as the Angell testifyeth, bicause he saueth his peo­ple from theyr synne. Mat. 1.21. The worde Christ is a greeke word, which aunswereth the Hebrewe vocable Messhiah, an­noynted. In olde tyme with the people these persons: Prophets, Priests, and Princes, were annoynted with Oyle,Wherefore our Iesus is called A­noynted. signifying the plentifull graces of Gods spirite, gi­uen to those called of god to these Functions, and also into what perillous daungers, and harde battles they were to enter, which truely exercised that seuerall calling. By which Oyling they were as with a Symbole put in mynd, what couragious Champions they ought to be in their of­fices. This was the cause why the noble Champions, be­fore the pryse playde, were annoynted. But in as much as the Lord Christ had a greater enimy then all other Cham­pions, and therewyth a most deadly fyght towards, whose body and soule was to stande in the battle of death vppon [Page] the crosse, against his fathers iustice for the synnes of the whole worlde, Satans malice, and mans corruption, Hell and Death: it was most necessary that he shoulde before thys cruel combate, haue a more precious Oyntment, then had his shadowing fellowes, preaching Prophets, sacrify­cing priests, and ruling Princes. Wherefore he was an­noynted with the holy ghost. The spirit of God is vpon me (sayth Christ) because he hath annoynted me that I should preache the Gospell to the poore, &c. Esa. 61. Luc. 4.18. This sentence expres­seth Christs priesthood, kingdome and preaching office. He is sente sayth he to preache. His kingdome, he is annoyn­ted to delyuer the oppressed. His priesthood, he is giuen to heale the broken and wounded hartes (wyth synne and i­niquitie) by the sacrifice of his death vpon the crosse. Du­ring hys lyfe he preached the gospel,Rom. 1.16 which is Gods power in Christ to saluation to euery one that beleeueth. In his sacrifice of hymselfe vpon the crosse, he performed both the other. By his death he healed our infirmities, Esa. 53. Col. 1.20. for the chastis­ment of our peace was layde vpon him. In hys death he ob­tayned the victory (hauing fully aunswered the Fathers iustice) against synne, death and hell, and spoyled princi­palities and powers, and hath made a shew of them openly, Col. 2.15. and hath tryumphed ouer them in the same crosse. He hath forgyuen vs our synnes, put out the hande wryting that was agaynst vs, he hath taken it out of the waye, and fas­tened it to his crosse, hath translated vs from the power of darknes, into the kingdome, whereof he is king of kings, and Lorde of Lordes: vz the body of hys Church, of which he is the onely heade. Whose kingdome is thréefold, of po­wer, of grace and of glory. Of power, for all Nations shall bow the knee to this Lorde of Lordes, and king of kings, Christ the annoynted king and priest. And who so wyl not kysse the sonne (Christ Iesus) shal perish, whether Prince,Psal. 2. 1. Rom. 14 17. Potentate, Preacher, Magistrate, people, or pestilente Pope. Of grace, which (he sayth by Luke) is within vs, and [Page] consisteth (as Paule sayth) in righteousnesse, Christ the high By­shop of our soules. in peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost. His kingdome of glory, as well in that he gloryously arose from death, and ascended aboue al heauens, as that he shall appeare most gloryouslye to haue gouerned all things, when he shal call before him to iudge­ment all the Nations of the worlde, and giue to them their portion in his right iustice due vnto them. This Lorde Christ and Sauiour, is also the high Byshop of our soules, the one and onely priest, that hath fully taken awaye oure sinnes, in the sacrifice of himselfe, vpon the aulter of the crosse once for all, and all ages, there and then offered. Of whose priesthood Dauid long before prophecied, in these wordes.Psal. 110. The Lorde hath sworne and wyll not repent, thou art a priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech. By which words the Apostle Paule, purposing to proue Christ the sayde priest, thus speaketh: Thys Melchisedech was king of Salem, Heb. 7.17 king of the most high God, &c. Hee is the king of righteousnesse, after that, he is called the king of Sa­lem 1. king of peace, without father, without mother, wyth­out kyndred, and hath neyther beginning of his dayes, nor ende of his lyfe, but is lyke vnto the sonne of God, and con­tynueth a priest for euer. And that rightly, for Christ the sonne of God is our righteousnesse and peace, and the king of Salem, euen of the peaceable church, and tryumphante kingdome euerlasting. He is without father in his huma­nitie, onely being conceyued by the holye ghost, of the wo­mans séede: wythout mother in his deuyne nature, begot­ten of the fathers owne nature, without beginning of dayes or ende of lyfe. For he is God for euer. And though in his humanitie he suffred for vs, yet his Godhead coulde not dye, but remayneth immortall for euer. This Iesus is both king and priest, not after Aaron, but according to Melchisedeches order, for all tymes to come. And as the ho­lye scriptures hath mention of no mo such: So is he the onely priest of God, for the saluation of his church, and [Page] there can besides hym be none other, who gaue hymselfe to dye for vs, and by whose onely death, we be all saued that beléeue in hym.

The meane whereby this eternall Priest saueth hys people, is by tryple operation,Howe our Christ sa­ueth vs. all which haue their force from the action of his death. First, in gyuing hymselfe a raunsome for theyr sinnes to God his father, and by hys bloudy sacryfice once for all offered, he fully acquyteth all his people of all their damnable debt. Secondly, by the preaching of hys Ghospell vnto the sonnes of men, as whereby he is depaynted thus crucifyed for them, & therby they brought by his spirite, to beléeue the forgiuenesse of synnes in his bloud. Thirdly, by that he remayneth the on­lye Mediator for his people to his father, so reconciling the worlde to God, and guydeth his people by his spirite, in the pathes of righteousnesse for his holy names sake.1. Pet. 2.5. Mat. 20.28. Thus is thy soueraigne Lorde and Christ, thy highe Priest and Byshop of thy soule, thy [...], to saye the price of thy re­demption, by whose sacrifice alone vpon the crosse, God the father is iustly payde the pryce due to hym for all our ini­quities. For the which cause also, that he is the pryce of thy Redemption in hys death, he is of God constitute for thy only Mediator, as Paule sayth to the Hebrewes, and saint Iohn: If any man sinne, Heb. 9.15. 1. Ioh. 2.2. we haue an Aduocate with the fa­ther, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes, and not for our sinnes only, but for the synnes of the whole worlde. Where note that the Apostle sayth, and for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament. Hebr. 9.15. Namely for thys cause, that through his death, men might receyue the promise of inheritance. He that dyeth for mans transgressions, is onely the Mediator for their sinnes. But Christ only dyeth for mans transgressions, therfore Christ is the onely Mediator for mans iniquitie. This is the Apo­stles reason. And further, this priesthood so dwelleth still in Christ, that no inferiour creature maye be enstalled into [Page] that function. For he lyueth for euer, and therfore contynu­eth a priest for euer, after the order of Melchesedech.

Whersoeuer then any man or Angell, would take vp­pon hym this office, to be a priest to offer sacrifice in the Church of God. For thy synnes know thou that he is not thy [...], thy redemption, and therefore cannot be thy sa­crificer. Besydes thys, that sacrifice of Christ is thy [...], the absolute price of thy raunsome, and therefore no neede of further payment to God by sacrifice.Christ hath fully payde the ransome for our syns, therefore can there be no more offring to God for synne. Thirdly, neyther néede nor can that sacrifice of Christes death and bodye, to be iterate or offred of freshe, for that were to kyll Christ a­gayne, and to make lesse the valour of thy redemption, by which thou art redéemed fully, and for which cause Christ is called in the holye scripture, thy [...], to saye an abso­lute price of thy redemption, by whome and whose price, thou hast by fayth in hym, the whole forgiuenesse of thy sinnes.Heb. 10.18 And where thys Remission is (sayth the scripture) there remayneth no more offerings for synne, but we maye with boldnesse enter into heauen, not by an other sacrifice, but by a new and lyuing way, namely (sayth he) by fayth in Christs fleshe & bloud once thus offred, who remayneth our high priest with God. Lastly, were there a sacrifice re­mayning to be offred for sinne, we had no priestes or anye one man, or Angell in heauen or earth, that could be a fitte Sacrificer for the same. For besyds that a true Sacrificer for synne, by whose Sacrifice iniquitie shall be awaye ta­ken,There can be found as a meete man no Priest in earth to of­fer sacrifice. must be the sacrifice hymselfe. There are also cer­tayne Noble qualities must inhabite that man, which can be a sacrifycing priest for sinne, and the house of GOD, which are by the Apostle to the Hebrewes, set downe on thys maner. Such an high priest it became vs to haue (sayth he) which is holy, harmlesse, vndefiled, seperate from sinners, and made higher then the Heauens, which needed not daylie to offer vp sacrifice, first for his owne sinnes, and then for the synnes of his people, for that did he once, when he [Page] offred vp himselfe, for the lawe maketh men highe priests, which haue infyrmitie, but the worde of the othe which was synce the lawe, maketh the sonne who is consecrated (name­ly the onely priest of God) for euermore. Now deare Rea­der, if it be of necessitie that we should haue such a Priest, to offer sacrifice for our sinnes, and that no other can take that office to pacifie the father (whose iustice changeth not, or is by affection altred) how can it be that eyther the Iew­ishe, or much lesse the Popishe priests can be to vs men of good warrante, to pacifie hys wrath for our synnes, with and by their dayly counterfeyte sacrifices, when they haue neyther warrante from thy holy written worde, or be,The Pope very vnfytte to offer vp sacrifice for synne, hys Cardinals lesse, hys priests least, but his irre­ligious all to bad. or can be such men as it becommeth our priests to be? Can the Pope or any his broode be found (in truth and search of his owne friends) holy, harmelesse, and vndefyled? Is he in all sortes seperate from synners, or are his priests? Is hys dwellings aboue the Heauens, or haue not his Fry­ers, Monkes, Byshops, Cardinals, and Popishe prelates, the fertyll soyle of euery Nation, to plante their dwelling places in? Doe they not néede to offer sacrifice fyrst for their owne sinnes, which of all other are most acquainted therewith? And doe they not in the daylie sacrifice of their blasphemous Masse, fyrst offer for the Pope, then for the king, Byshop and themselues, & then for him, her, or them, for whome they are for that tyme hyred? These therefore can be no lawfull priests to offer for sinne, were there any such sacrifyce to be offered. The lawe of Moses made such men priests, as were subiect to death. The Popishe lawe anoyleth such as are wrapped in infyrmities: but the law of the othe of God (which is the gospell) maketh the sonne of God Christ Iesus, onely the sacryfycing priest of hys Churche, who is without synne, deuoyde of infyrmitie, holy, harmelesse, vndefyled, higher then the heauens, sepe­rate from synners, once for all offred, a full price in sacri­fyce to his father vpon the crosse, for the syns of the whole [Page] worlde, which can no more be offered, or any other in place therof, is not subiect any more to death, but lyueth to make intercession for his church to God hys father for euer.

Nowe we haue to consyder also, from what it is that thys Sauyour Christ delyuereth vs. Truely from the Fa­thers wrath, from the chaynes of synne, and her rewarde, which is eternall death. Of which deliuerance Zacharius speaketh in his Song,Rom. 6.23 Luc. 1.74. that wee being delyuered from the feare of our enimies, might serue him without feare, &c. But when it is sayde he delyuereth vs, it is imported we are fyrst in thraldome,Mans state wythout Christ, thraldome and most misery. and bounde from libertie: Euen so are the sonnes of men by nature thralled vnto the wrath of God, bound in chaynes of synne, and subiect to the cursse of euerlasting death. Therin borne, in it lyuing and lusting death by the contynuall desyres therof.Eph. 2.3. But Synne, synne, is the cause that Gods iustice cannot but giue vs wrath, and his wrath cannot (procéeding from his iustice) but cast the synner into the prison of eternal payne, where is dark­nesse, sorrowe, wéeping, torments, and gnashing of téeth, the worme that dyeth not, and the anger of God. And this synne is, and maye be sayde to be of two kyndes, the one procéeding from the other. Originall and Actuall. Originall commeth wyth the lumpe of massy poysoned fleshe,Originall synne and actuall. which our parentage hath brought to vs, from the loynes of oure fyrst father Adam. And he becommeth synful by the breach of Gods holye lawe in Paradise, hath begotten by synfull séede, his children in synne, who by succession haue encrea­sed the worlde to thys daye from his synfull loynes, to be­get vs synfull creatures, of our synfull mothers. And thus are we guyltie of Adams synne, called Originall, the be­ginning synne. For lyke as out of a poysoned Vessell can be drawne no other lycour but poysoned. So from the poy­soned séede of Adam, can procéede no other then lyke cor­rupted matter, for mans propagation and ofspring. And againe thys worde synne, signifyeth generally the disobe­dience [Page] to God, the offending of God by the breaking of hys most holy commaundements. This difference is betwéene Originall and Actuall synne, the one we bring with vs in flesh, as guyltie by byrth of our fathers transgressiō, as the Apostle sayth: By Adam all men do dye. The other is, that our selues in mynde and bodye doe commit daylie agaynst our God and his holy lawe, which we do eyther in mynde,1. Cor. 15.22. in will, in harte and affection, in tong or hande, in soule or bodye, in one or both. The fyrst doth infecte all other that come from his fyrst roote. For lyke as leporous parents of their bodyes cannot but beget, and the chyldren which are borne of them, are defyled, as wel with the parents lepro­sie, as contaminate with their owne naturall corruption: Euen so are the posteritie of Adam infected with the fyrst fathers leprosie in synne, and steyned with their owne ac­tuall offences and iniquitie, which one lamenting sayeth: And great is that Original synne,Barnardus which doth not alone in­fect the person, but corrupteth the whole nature of man al­so. The second which is actuall synne, dwelleth in the body of the synner alone, and hurteth others, no otherwise then when they be pertakers therof, eyther by ioyning in facte, or consente, by suffring or not regarding the poyson there­of, the ende of both is death euerlasting. Rom. 6.23 How horrible that synne is, the Scriptures doe tell. Synne breaketh our co­uenant with God, prouoketh anger of God,The fruits of synne in man. seperateth his loue from vs, hasteneth his iustice, procureth our perpetu­all destruction, caused Christ to come from heauen, and he the sonne of God to suffer death for vs, moste wretched creatures, which else should haue perished in synne. Is of that nature, that if we wyllingly fall into it agayne, we crucifye Christ anewe, and there is no more looking for re­demption, but a fearefull wayting for the wrath of Gods furye, fyre and vengeance. Finally, it is the worke of the Deuill, and he the author therof, who is the vtter aduersa­rye of God, and we his sworne enemies, and Gods famy­lye. [Page] How intollerable a matter it is for the Quéenes ser­uante of her priuie chamber, from beggery exalted farre aboue all brauery, to become Traytor to her grace, and in her secret chamber to violate his fayth, who séeth not with darkned eyes? How much more vgly is he, and most intol­lerable is his case, that casteth dyrte by synne euery daye into the face of God, by carnall concupiscence, courtly car­nall lustes, and fylthy actions. Well, from all thys yet he the Lord Christ saueth his people, 1. Ioh. 1.7. euen his bloud doth wash their soules and bodyes from euerye synne, and his death doth purge our consciences from dead workes, Heb. 9.14 Esay. 1. to serue the lyuing God. Of this delyuerance Esay sayth: Washe you, make you cleane, if your synnes were as redde as Scarlet, I wyll make them as whyte as Wooll, Iere. 31. sayth the Lorde. Iere­my: Your synnes and iniquities will I remember no more. Ezechiel: Ezech. 18. At what tyme soeuer a synner doth repent of hys synne, from the bottome of his harte, at that tyme will I put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance, sayth the Lord. Repent (sayth Christ) and beleeue the Gospell. Mar. 1.15. Rom. 1.16. The gospel (sayth Paule) is the power of God (to delyuer from sinne, Satan and Hell, and to bring) to saluation euery one that rightly beleeueth. 1. Tim. 2.4 Finally, this is the will of God, that all men shoulde be saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth. Beholde a most ample delyuerance offered in Gods mercy to all, but onely his people haue the fruition thereof, and that bicause they come to the knowledge of his truth in their soules taught of God, by which they are delyuered from error and synne, Gods malediction & burning Hell. Ab omni peccato (sayth saint Iohn) from euery synne as well actuall as originall,1. Ioh. 1.7. and that by the bloud of Christ, for these be his wordes.Christes bloud doth styll daylye wash, flow­ing from the Fountayne of his death, away al our synnes. The bloude of Iesus Christ doth washe (where note he doth not say, hath washed, but the force thereof doth washe, no more offered, but beleeued) from euery synne. Confounded, or conuerted at Gods good pleasure be all they, that in Popery, or else, derogate from [Page] the sacrifice of Christ, this true validitie, this mightie and most perfite operation, and doe giue to their abhomina­ble Masse, and selfe merittes the greater glorye,Acurssed are all they that rest vppon the Masse for reconcy­liation. leauing Christ skante the reast: Namely that they hereby delyuer men from actuall synnes, and Christes death onely from Originall trespasse. O horrible blasphemy, what Deuil be­witcheth men to this madnesse? But good Reader, remem­ber as we haue saide, thy deliuerer muste himselfe be thy Lutrosis price of redemption. Paule thy Doctor in truth telleth thée, that Christ Iesus is onely he,1. Cor. 1.30 saying to the Co­rinthians: Christ is made to vs of God, wisedome & righ­teousnesse, and sanctifycation, Math. 20.28. [...] and the pryce of thy redemption. And our Sauyour sayth of hymselfe thus. The sonne of man is not come to be ministred vnto, but to minister, and to giue (not to sell as Popishe priests do their sacrilegious Masses) his lyfe [...], for the ran­some of many. The worde Lutron saye Beza and Erasmus in their great Annotations, sygnifyeth the price of Re­demption, that is, that thing which is giuen to redéeme those that be in captiuitie, which in Englishe we call a Raunsome. Christ sayth he, is come to gyue himselfe to his Fathers iustice for this Raunsome. But he hath giuen that which he came to giue, therfore by his gift to his Fa­ther (we that beléeue in him) are raunsomed and for euer saued. For he hath payde as much as coulde or can be for vs asked. Thus then thou séest (good brother) that we are raunsomed by Christ from all our iniquitie, and from eue­rye sinne, and as the Apostle sayth:Heb. 10.14 all which are sanctified (by the fayth in his bloud) are made perfyte for euer. They which be perfitely whole by Christ his death our medicine, néede not the Popishe Phisition.Mat. 9.12. But we by Christs death our medicine, are perfitly whole.No neede of the Masse, for it is Po­pishe phisick and trashe. Therfore no néede to vs of the Popishe Phisition. For there is full forgiuenesse of our synnes in the sacrifice of Christ, to al ages that beleeue in him. Therfore there is no more offering for sinne.

Lastly, we are to remember whose sinnes the Lorde Christ thus pardoneth, and to whome is this Sauiour, vz his people, Math. 1.21 as the Angell sayth: Hee shall saue his people from their synnes. Now who they are which be Gods peo­ple, I haue sufficiently said in my Booke of Benedictus, and here they may be placed into these branches. Generally and specially. Generally, all the people, tongues and Nations of the whole earth are the Lordes, as Dauid sayeth: The earth is the Lords and all that therein is, Psal. 24.1. the rounde worlde and they that dwell in it. The speciall people of God are they, which be consecrate to him in holynesse, which be of him predestinate to lyfe, chosen in and for Christ to salua­tion, sanctified by the holye Ghost, redéemed by their Saui­our Christ, iustifyed by his grace and death, peaceably pre­serued by his ayde in earth, and glorified by his truth in the heauens. These are they of whome the Apostle sayth: The Lorde hath this sure seale, 2. Tim. 2.19. he knoweth who be his. And onely these in him (their [...]) are saued from their syns, the rest haue condemnation abyding them, & that of them­selues. For he being the sauyour of the whole worlde, as Christ himselfe affirmeth,Iohn. 8. Ioh. 6.44 I am the worlds Sauiour: The same generall sorte (from whome these speciall by the Fa­ther of heauen to his Christ are drawne) refuse their sa­uing health in him. They say with the prowde Iewes, we will not haue thys man to raigne ouer vs. Come let vs kill hym, and proue whether he be the sonne of God. This is the fruite of ignorant blindnesse, from which Christ came to delyuer man, but bicause the Worlde loued darknesse more then light, Iohn. 3.19. and refused the light when it was sente them. Therfore thys is their condemnation, sayth our Sa­uyour Christ.

In the verses before sayd, the man of God Symeon hath opened one most comfortable & true tytle of Iesus Christ, affyrming him to be our sauyour: And now he prosecuteth his purpose, to shewe the same Sauiour to belong to all Nations and people without exception. And also that their fayth maye be the more confyrmed in hym. He sayth that this Christ our Lorde is prepared of God our father, to be our Sauiour, our lyght and glory, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people (sayth he) to be a lyght to lygh­ten, &c. At the fyrst entring into these verses, we must con­sider that Symeon in them, giueth to Christ two most nota­ble Epithits, names and tytles. He calleth hym the lyghte of the Gentyls, and the glory of the people Israel. The world he also deuideth into two people, Iewes and Gentyls, and vnto all and euery of them he preacheth this one Christ, to be prepared of God the Father for their sauing health, di­rection and glory.

But fyrst let vs note the marke that Symeon shooteth at, euen that which the whole scriptures of God doe: Name­ly to pretermitte all others, and onely to preache vnto vs from God the father alone, his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ, to be our Sauiour, our lyghte, guyde, Shepheard, Byshop, Prophete, Priest, Prince and Lorde, which al­wayes is the worke of the Father, to drawe to his sonne Christ, saying:Ioh. 6.44 Mat. 3.17. Mat. 17.5. This is my beloued sonne in whom (not in any other matter or man) I rest wel pleased, heare him. The holy ghost in lyke maner beareth wytnesse of Christ, preacheth him, and teacheth no other doctrine,1. Cor. 3.11 1. Pet. 2.6. Eph. 2.20. then fyrst he gaue to the Church. The Apostles lay him the onely foun­dation and corner stone of Gods house, denying all other to haue such place in the conscience of man.Peter cal­leth the Pope and all other onely to Christ. Peter the Apo­stle (vpon whose person that Antichrist of Rome, falsely fathereth all his vsurped authoritie) calleth al men lyuing stones, vnto this stone Christ, and calleth hym the stone onely precious. That sinister doctrine, which is layde vp­pon [Page] this buylding, shall vanishe awaye, but all opposite to the same,Gal. 1.8. is thereby moste flatly accursed, with the bringer and begynner therof, be they men or Angels. Hereby then is Popery proued guyltie of highe Treason, against the truth of God, which flat against the course of Gods booke, and holy church, setteth into the consciences of men them­selues, and their inuentions for Gods, their Saintes of all sortes for lyghtes, and guydes, helpers and Sauyours, to the glory of their Pope, and ignominy of the Lorde of the house Iesus Christ. It is not Mary Gods mother, his Apo­stles, Angels or men: but onely and alone Iesus Christ, that Symeon sayth, GOD the Father hath prepared, and erected as it were vpon an high place, that all men might see and perceyue him, to be to them al their only Sauyour, lyght and glory.

Secondly, our Saluation is by Symeon deuinely here alone giuen to Gods prouision, not mans deuise, saying: He hath prepared, and therein his great and inestimable mercy is made manifest, who whyle euery man falleth in lust from God to damnation, in security without remorse, God our good Father yet prouydeth for them all, his one and alone sauing health, an other himselfe, euen his onely begotten sonne Christ our Lorde. To this ende is the Pa­rable of the Kings banquet,Mat. 22.4 where the Fatlings are kylled, and al things made ready before the guestes be called, so that their is no other thing for them to do, but onely to obey the voyce of the Caller. Our Redemption is in Christ, the pre­paration in God the Father, our grace to imbrace and re­ceiue it, in the holye ghost. This was the fayth of the Pa­triarkes and fyrst fathers. Thus Dauid confessed, saying: Thou doest prepare a Table before me in the syght of myne aduersaryes. Psal. 23.5. This was the doctrine of Christes Spirite in Zacharius lyps, that the mercye of God gaue and prepared vs this lyght of the Gentyls, Luc. 1.78. the day starre from an high, and not for our procéeding works, which all were malicious as [Page] Paule sayth to the Romans, or for our succéeding merits,Rom. 5.8. which are menstruous and fylthy in gods eyes, but of hys owne synguler loue,Esa. 64.6. Rom. 8. Ioh. 3.16. gaue he vs his prepared Christ for our Saluation, as this our heauenly lyght and glory sayth: So dearely God loued the worlde, that he gaue his onely begot­ten sonne thereto, that as many as beleue in him should not perishe, but haue lyfe euerlasting.

Thirdly, he hath prepared him to be a Lyghte to the Gentyls, and the glory of Israel. Thrée things in the former Verse are to be noted. First, why Christ is called Lyght. Secondly the vse of this light. And thirdly to whome he is a light giuen, to be made knowne vnto: Namely vnto the Gentyls.

Christ is most worthyly called light, not onely bicause he is the engrauen forme and brightnesse of the Father of lyghtes, but also bicause he giueth light,Col. 1.15. Ioh. 1.9. and doth illuminate the hartes of all things that come into the worlde, called so not onely for the light and lyfe he giueth to the body,Christ is our onely lyght. but also and most speciallye, for the heauenly light of Gods knowledge, which he engraueth by his worde and spirite, in the hartes of all men, but most effectually in the Electe and chosen children. Of which light and illumination, the Euangelist Iohn speaketh in the gospell, saying:Ioh. 1.4. In hym was lyfe, and this lyfe was the lyght of men, and thys lyghte did shine in darknesse, & the darknesse did not comprehend it. By the worde life, he meaneth all liuing power, which at this daye is to be séene in all creatures, as well endued with naturall reason, spirituall wisedome, as sauage crea­tures and sencelesse things, trées, plantes, herbes, grasse, corne, &c. Eche of these hath his proper lyfe, and of Christ the Creator, the light and lyfe of all things. And for that no man should suppose this lyght, whereof he speaketh, to concerne the lyfe and lyght, which euer is common with the bodyes of men and beastes. He addeth, that this lyfe was the light of men. So teaching vs, what lyfe we are [Page] to receyue of him, we being blynde and ignorante darke­nesse: Namely the lightning of our minds, with the word of his truth, whereby our hartes doe see in perfite wise Christ Iesus to be the day starre from on high, Luc. 1.7.8 sente of hys Father to giue light to vs Gentyls, that were in the dore and prison of darknesse. Esa. 42.7. Symeon had respect (no doubt) cal­ling Christ a Lyght, to the Prophets which so spake of him: Namely that Noble Esay,Esa. 42.6. saying: I the Lorde haue called thee in righteousnesse, and wil holde thine hande, and I wyll keepe thee and guyde thee, for a couenant of the people, and for a lyght of the Gentyls, that thou mayest open the eyes of the blynde, and bring out the prisoner out from the prison, and them that syt in darknesse, out of the prison house. And againe:Esa. 49.6. It is a smale thing that thou shouldest bee my Ser­uant, to rayse vp the Tribe of Iacob, and to restore the deso­lations of Israel, I wyl also giue thee for a lyght to the Gen­tyls, that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the worlde. Nowe in thys Parable, there be two things wor­thy the note. First, that all men in themselues, as well Iewes as Gentyls, be méere darknesse. The other, that God the Father in heauen and earth, hath giuen no other to illuminate mankinde, with the light of nature, of God and true godlynesse, but his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ, and him onely to the whole worlde, as hymselfe wytnesseth,Ioh. 8.12. saying: I am the light of the worlde. And most lyuely is our Christ represented by the glorious Sunne, which being in his Spheare farre aboue,Christ our light, shado­wed forth by the Sunne. performeth al his office enioyned him wythout default, to the circuits of the whole earth and Seas, and that to the endes of the world. And by the way note (good Reader) how the Lorde taketh apt occasion by the tyme and place, where he is, to teache hymselfe, that he is to the hartes of men. When he was at Iacobs Well with the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.10. he tooke occasi­on by the Metaphor of water, to teache her the lycour of lyfe. By the desyre the Iewes had to earthy bread, & ther­fore [Page] followed him,Ioh. 6.15. Luc. 5.3. he began to teach himself to be the bread of lyfe. And teaching in the shyp by that myracle of Fishes, he taught the Apostles the waye to catch men. The same thing he vseth in these wordes: I am the lyght, &c. For teaching in the morning in the Temple, the Sunne nowe shyning moste brightly, bewtifying the place to the great delight of the beholders, he calleth them from the terrestri­all, to the sonne of righteousnesse, affirming in him to finde the true properties of the glorious sonne in déede. First, as the Sunne is a most pure Planet, most bryght and cléere, defyled with nothing wheresoeuer it shyneth, but maketh the darke and fylthy places more open to the eyes of men: So Iesus Christ, the brightnesse of his fathers glory, Col. 1.15. is of nature most pure and holye, and albeit he hath taken oure nature vpon him, lyued amongst vs, did accompany wyth synners to their good, and abhorred not to eate with Pub­licans, yet was he nothing defyled therby, but by him these fylthy persons made wholy to know themselues, & through him were illuminated and fully sanctifyed. The Sunne, that is to say the light, doth so shyne, that himselfe may be séene of vs, and doth make all other lyuing creatures to sée by him: So Iesus Christ our light, doth so manifestly in his nature appeare, that the insensible heauens and earth do know him, & he doth so powre by his spirite, the beames of his brightnesse into the hartes of hys beloued, that they by his spirite and resplendishing Scriptures, both perfitly (as fleshe may) know God the Father, and his Christ, and all things else, which be eyther necessary, or expedient to their saluation in him, besydes whom there is none other. Act. 4.12. Psal. 36.9. Thys compelled Dauid to say: With thee (O Lord) is the Well of lyfe, and in thy lyght, shal we see lyght. Through christs light we see God to be our fa­ther, & hym the lord to be our Sauior. And as the lyght discouereth darkenesse, and refresheth the toyled bo­dyes, in former obscuritie: Euen so Christ remouing the former ignorance of God in vs, banyshing the terror of cō ­science, doth most magnificently recreate our sences, and [Page] refreshe our spirites, renouate our conscience, quyet oure soule, and replenishe vs with ioye. And lyke as the lyghte doth not onely in darknesse of night guyde our footesteps, but helpeth vs aright to our whole businesse: So Christe that eternall worde of God, is the Lanterne to our feete, and the light to our labours,Psal. 119. in that the doctrine and preceptes thence shyning to vs, doe direct our darke soules into the paths of righteousnesse, and that for his owne names sake. And as light (banyshing darknesse) openeth to mans eye many things, which in mircke midnight were not onely shadowed,The com­modities of light. but also sheltered and so vnknowne, that many adulters, théeues, murtherers and wicked persons, by her were couered,Iohn. 3.19. and nowe by light disclosed (for which cause naturally they loue darknesse & hate the lyght) So Christ hauing by his worde of most cléerenesse and heauenly po­wer, banyshed from Realmes, Familyes and persons, the darknes of ignorance, maketh knowne to them their syns, and reproueth their errors, accuseth the corruptiō of mans nature, and playnely maketh vs sée, that all those things which without him we most imbraced, are most fylthye and horrible. And this is the cause, why all such as wallow in wicked lyfe and false Religion, doe hate Christ in hys Gospell to this present daye,Ioh. 3.19. but to their vtter ruine and selfe condemnation. Lastly, as one shyning Sunne serueth the vniuersall worlde, and is the onely Fountayne of light to all lightes in the same: So the bright sonne of God our righteousnesse Christ, is the onely author of spirituall light, whome the Father of lights hath onely giuen to the whole worlde. And he doth lighten euerye man that com­meth into the worlde, Ioh. 1.9. neyther will he admit any copemate to be ioyned with him,What church is not guy­ded by our lyght Christ onely, is e­clypsed and bloudy to Christ and his mem­bers. but kéepeth the whole Regimente in and to himselfe. For as the Moone (the figure of Gods Church) receyueth at the handes of the Sunne her lighte, and is so much darkned, as she wanteth of his brightnesse: So the Churche of God, not kept with the countenance [Page] of Christs shyning face and Gospell, is wrapped in the wayne of darknesse, but lightned by his truth, she is most gloryous, and her naturall spottes shall not deface her: yet both Moone and Church remayne to be light by hym, else as opposite to him, they are eyther darke or bloody, or one or bothe. Let no man obiect to me,Lightened by Christe, her spots do not hurt her. that the Apostles are called also lightes of the worlde, for that hath the true light imported in mercye to them by borrowed spéeche, as we may call the Lanterne a light,Eph. 5.25.26.27. bicause the light shyneth by and through it, vnto the whole housholde: And so are the Apostles called lights, not bicause they are the light Christ,How the A­postles and preachers of the worde, are called lighte. but bicause they bring vnto vs the true light, that dwelleth in them, which doth also by them and their labours (preach­ing and wryting) shine into the vtmost partes of the earth, to the great comforte of all those that loue the same. To conclude, great is the mercye of our good God, séeing the darknesse of the world so greate, that no otherwise it could be discouered & remoued, gaue vnto vs this his owne son, whome he hath made to vs the onely light of God, to Iew and Gentyle, that we should not for wante of safe conduc­tion, perishe in our wandring passage.

Now the vse of thys light, and wherto he is giuen vs of God, Symeon doth tell vs and sayth: it is that he should be reuealed vnto the Gentyls, and to be the glory of the people Israel. Two things also the good father telleth vs in these words. Fyrst y^t the ages from tyme to tyme should knowe, that this one Christ is to all them, and people in them, the one and onely saluation, light, guyde and delyuerer,Christ is to all ages, the the one and onely lyght to lyfe. sygni­fied by the two Nations by him named, Iewe & Gentyle. The lyke doth Esay before naming the Gentyls, and ad­deth and health to the vtmost partes of the world. So Christ himselfe concludeth, saying as before is saide: I am the lighte of the worlde, that is to saye, of euerye place in the worlde, of all sortes of men, women and chyldren ther­in, and whosoeuer of these do desyre and séeke at me aright [Page] for health and lyfe. But sayth Symeon, this light is sent to be reuealed, & made knowne to thys worlde. For the same cause Christ fyrst preached it: Iohn Baptist and the Apo­stles were sent to manifest him thereto, that as saluation was wrought by him: so they by fayth (which commeth by hearing the worde reuealed) might apprehend it in him. Of which more a little after, God so wylling.

But possibly some man would aske me, if Christ be the light and Sauiour of the whole worlde,The cause of our great blindnesse in so clere light howe it is that so manye therein are notwithstanding still blynded, and so condemned? Christ aunswereth (drawing his generall spéeche to a speciall, which onely receyue health by him) in the eyght of Iohn:Ioh. 8.12. He that followeth mee, walketh not in darknesse. It is not ynnough that God hath made his sonne our light, vnlesse we embrace and walke therein. And this is the condemnation of the worlde (sayth Christ hym­selfe) that light came into the worlde, Ioh. 3.19. and men loued darke­nesse rather then the light. The nature of these men is, to hate the light, and to absent themselues from it, least their déedes should be made manifest thereby. Loe, it is not that these wante in the world that they hate it, but for that they lust after their owne wyll, to lyue wickedly still, & therfore they refrayne it: yea, and to their power restrayne it also. But here they are conuinced in conscience, that the gospel is light, and they are the sonnes of darknesse, drawing to themselues damnation. I aske againe, and if Christ be the light of the worlde,The worlds darkenesse, what it is. what is the darknesse then of the same: It is a profitable question, and it may be aunswered thus. The darknesse of the worlde reprehended by Christ, wallo­weth in two myrie & dangerous doungeons, that is to say, in false Religion, and fylthye conuersation, bothe which Christ the lyght, calleth darknesse, in that he sayth: Lighte came into the worlde, and men loued darknesse more then lyghte. Iohn. 3.19.

That a Religion or worship of God deuised of mans [Page] brayne, wythout warrante of Gods worde, is darknesse, and the author and fautors blynde, it is more then appa­rente, to him that hath but halfe an eye. Therfore the tea­chers therof be called blynde guydes, Math. 23.24. Eph. 4.17.18. the hartes imbracing it, blynded, and the whole which follow it, in much paine to themselues, walkers in the vanity of their darkned minds to their owne damnation, what intent, purpose, or séeking soeuer they haue to serue God. But amongst manye the former false Religions, the Romishe is not the least,Romishe Fayth, the roote & bot­tomlesse pyt of darknesse. from whose Pope and Clergy, hath come the Cup of fornication, whereof all Princes haue dronke (not as the saying is till they stare, but y^t which more is) vntyll they became starke blynd, through y^t gréedy draught of excecating ignorance.Apo. 17.4 And to proue the Religion of Rome a false, corrupte, and humane blynde Religion: First I say, I speake of the lat­ter Rome, who hath as an Apostata and fylthy strumpet, runne farre awaye from her fyrst fayth, and faythfull hus­bande Iesus Christ, and his couenant the gospell of God.Rome is runne from God. That the Church of Rome nowe is become an Apostata from her former fayth, it shall appeare to all that measure hir Religion, with that fayth delyuered to that Churche, and of them receyued by the pen of Paule, in his Epistle sente to Rome, extante in the Lordes Testament, Paule teacheth it folly and wickednesse.Rom. 1.23 To serue the immortal God, by the ymage of a mortal man. Is not the Church of Rome fallen from this fayth now? Doth not her chiefe ioy consist in Images of mortall men, and séeketh and com­maundeth men to serue God and saints, by & before them, neyther fearing Gods prohibiting lawe, or Paule theyr chiefe Doctors proclamation, from his mayster Christ. Paule and Rome then beléeued,Rom. 5.28 that man was iustifyed by fayth in Christ, and not by the works of the Lawe. But the Church of Rome nowe denyeth it flatly, and condemneth them for Heritiques, which be of that iudgement. Rome did then (as Tertullian sayth) acknowledge one God the [Page] Creator of all things,Tertul. de prescript Heretico­rum. and Christ Iesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary to be the sonne of God, to haue suffred death and to arise againe. She did ioyne the lawe and the Pro­phets, the Gospell and the Apostolicall Epistles together, and from that Fountayne she did drinke her fayth, she bap­tized wyth symple water, she was adorned with the giftes of Gods spirite, she fedde her people with the Euchariste (note he sayth not Rome offred vp the sacramēt of Christs bodye for the synnes of the people. But Rome receyueth it of the Lords institution, and fed hir people therewith) she exhorted her flocke to the fayth, by the constancie of Mar­tyrdome in her example, and against his order and institu­tion she admitted no man. But what doth Rome nowe? Euen as the Samaritans, The Pa­pistes beleue with vs, as the Sama­ritans dyd with the Iewes. ioyned with the Iewes in some and sundry poyntes, but varyed from them in many most wickedly: So doth newe Rome with Gods Churche (in olde Rome and ours nowe) they ioyne in some principall poyntes of our Religion, as in the Trinitie and vnitie of persons, of the profession of the holye ghost, &c. But if ye once come to the office of Christ, the fruite of his death, the valour of his Sacrifice, the authority of hys worde, the contynuance of hys sole priesthoode, and the truth of his sa­craments, they flée from you as farre as East from weast, and vtterly denie the auncient fayth, and moste fylthylye corrupt the true administration of Gods mysteries, as men that neuer had heard of such matters. Charge them with the scriptures, and they would compell them to stoope to the false gloses. Offer them the name of Paule, and he is as odious in harte to them, as a venemous Serpent to a woman,Gen. 3. betwixt whom God hath for euer set a perfite ha­tred. Notable is that saying of the learned Lodouicus a­gaynst the blyndnesse of his tyme in the latyn Church.Lodo. vi­ues in li. 13 de ciuit Dei. cap. 2. Au­gustinum vetustas tuetur, &c. Augustine is safe for his age. But if he and Paule were aliue agayne, he should be sha­ken of as a badde Rethoritian, or a poore Gramarian. But [Page] saint Paule should be taken for a mad man,The Ro­mans nowe would call Paule an Heretique were he alyue. or else for an Heretique. Thys learned man (approoued by them) thus openly conuinceth them of flatte Apostasye, and horrible blasphemy. Neyther let anye man obiect to me, that thys Church of Rome could possibly neuer erre so wickedly, for thou seest by comparing them with the other (as before) howe they are degenerate, and Paule himselfe in his E­pistle to the Romaynes,Paule fea­red the A­postasie of Rome. doth warne that church of the same, which after came to passe, vz. that she shoulde take héede, for as God had not spared the naturall branches, hys Church in Iewry:Cap. 11.21.22. So they in that church of Rome should not be high minded, but stande in awe. He exhorteth them to consyder Gods sharpnesse towards them that are fallen away, and hys goodnesse to the church of Rome, and other Gentyls, that they maye by grace remayne in their recey­ued goodnesse. Otherwise sayth Paule: Thou also (though thou be the church of Rome) shalt be cut off. Then syr there is feare in Paule, of the errors and departing from the fayth, which after came to passe (I saye in the Church of Rome) and remayneth at thys day so, as one of the Popes Legats, called Cheregatus, Io. Sleda. lib. 4. Io. Sarisb. sent by Adryan then Byshop of Rome, to the great assembly of the Empyre at Norembirge in Germany. 1523. by his maysters warrante, sayd thus, in y^e assembly. A sacerdotibus iniquitatem populi duianare multis nunc annis, &c. That is, the iniquitie of the people grew from the priests, & that now for the space of manye yeres, there haue bene great offences cōmitted in Rome, and all thys plague and mischiefe haue followed vnto all the inferiour Rulers of the church, euen from y^e high throne of the Popes (sauing thy reuerence good Reader) owne holynesse.Fasciculus rerū scien­darum. And in the late Counsell (or conspiracie rather) at Tridente. Cornelius Byshop of Bitanto hath affyrmed the lyke.Al filthynes from the Pope. They haue brought to passe (sayth he) that godly­nesse is turned into hypocrysie, and that the sauour of lyfe is tourned into the sauour of death. Would God they were [Page] not gone wholy with general consent, frō Religion to super­stition: from fayth to infydelity: from Christ to Antichrist: from God to Epicurisme, saying with wicked harte and fyl­thye mouth. There is no God. Neyther hath there bene this great whyle any pasture or Pope, that regarded these things, for they all (both Pope and Prelates) sought their owne, and not so much, as one of them (neyther Pope or Cardinall) sought for the things that pertayne to Iesus Christ. By thys sufficient wytnesse of their owne (good Reader) thou now séest, as the church of Rome may erre: So in déede & truth, she hath for many yeres erred, and that most fylthyly. Ex­amine the chiefe points of her Religion, wherein she most gloryeth, and thou shalt finde them eyther to haue their be­ginning and warrant of mans mortall brayne, or if borro­wed from Christes worde and institution, the same great­ly corrupted, shadowed and abused. Chose what poynte thereof that lyketh thée best, and it wyll so appeare in euy­dent proofe,The opini­on of syngle li [...]e in priests examined. in apparent truth. As for example. The syngle lyfe of popishe priests, is a principall poynte of their pro­fession. Against which we will fetche no other wytnesse then themselues, and their alowed Doctors, to proue that thys opinion & most stricte yoke (which not many of them are, or can he able to beare) is farre shorte the warrante of God, and deuised of their selfe inuention, rather Ex dia­metro, Priests syn­gle lyfe, is an humane con­stitution, a­gainste God and holye scripture. right agaynst God and his sacred worde. First Hie­rome sayth, that Paule doth not commaund christian men to put away their wyues. The words of this Father, their Church Doctor as they chalenge him, are vpon the words of Paule. Let euerye man abyde in the vocation wherein he was called. Ex hoc habentibus vxores. &c. Hereby S. Paule byddeth not maryed men to put away their wyues sayeth Hierome. Hier. cōtra Iouinianū lib. 1. Dist. 31. Quoniam. Ergo say I, Christianitie or the Gospell compel­leth not syngle lyfe. Further in the sixte counsell at Con­stantinople, it is thus set downe: Folowing the olde Fa­thers, and diligence of the Apostles, and the constitutions [Page] and lawes of the holye fathers, from henceforth we wyll that the lawfull mariage (of priests and Byshops) shall stande in force, not in any wayes dissoluing the lawfull mariage bedde with their maryed wyues. Note, he sayth that the mariage of Byshops and priests is the order, diligence, and lawes of the Apostles and holy fathers, and sayth their maryage bedde is lawfull, and therefore wyll not they compell syn­gle lyfe to the Clergy. But yet more, a most deare friend to the Pope, and gatherer of his fragmentine lawe, called Gratian sayth hereof. Copula sacerdotis, &c. 16. Ques. 2. sors. The mariage of priestes sayth he, is not forbidden by any authoritie, ey­ther of the law, or of the Gospell, or of the Apostles. Saint Ambros expounding these wordes of the Apostle:Ambro. in 1. Cor. 7. Touch­ing Virgins I haue no commaundement, sayth: Si Doctor gentium non habuit, quis habere potuit? If the Doctor of the Gentyls had no commaundemente of the Lorde touching Virgins, what man else then coulde euer haue? Clemens Alexandrinus sayth, all the Epistles of the Apostles, all which teache sobrietie and continente lyfe,Clem. strom. li. 3. whereas they contayne innumerable preceptes touching Matrimonye, bringing vp of children, and gouernment of house, yet they neuer forbad honest and sober mariage.The Apo­stles neuer forbad ho­nest mary­age. And to suffise this matter, I will stay with the testimony of the Popes owne Legate Slatere Cardinall Caielanus, whose wordes are touching this matter thus: It cannot be prooued eyther by reason, Card. Ca. in quodli. contra Luthe. nor by authoritie (speaking absolutely) that a priest synneth in marying a wyfe. For neyther the order of priest­hood, in that it is order, nor the same order in that it is holye, is any hindrance to matrimony. For priesthood breaketh not mariage, whether it be contracted before priesthood, or af­terward. Setting all Ecclesiasticall lawes aparte, & stan­ding onely vnto those things,Pano. de claric. cō ­iuga. cum olim. which we haue of Christ and his Apostles. Abote Panormitane sayth: Single lyfe is not of the substance of the order of priesthood, nor of the law of God. The long practise in the church of Rome, approoueth [Page] mariage in Ministers or priestes, holy and lawfull, & syn­gle lyfe in Popishe priesthoode compelled, to be a corrupte lawe after long tyme by tyranny thrust vpon the Clargy. Pope Damasus wryteth that many Popes of Rome them­selues were maryed priestes sonnes:Sundry the Byshops of Rome ma­ry [...] priests chyldren. As Syluerius Pope was the sonne of Syluerius also a Byshop of Rome: Pope Dens dedit, was the sonne of Steuen a Subdeacon: Pope Adrianus, Ex Da­maso ad Hieron ex Platina & Nan clero. the sonne of Thalar a Byshop: Pope Iohn. 15. the sonne of Leo a Priest: Pope Hosius, Steuens sonne Subdeacon: Agapetus Pope had one Gordeanus a priest to his Father: Pope Gelasius, was the sonne of Valetius a Byshop: Pope Boniface the sonne of Iocundus the priest. Pope Iohn the 10. was the sonne of Pope Sergius. The se­cond Syluerius was the sonne of the Byshop Ormysda. An­no Domini. 524. Pope Felix. 3. the sonne of Felix a priest of Rome. 474. Pope Theodorus was the sonne of Theo­dorus Byshop of Ierusalem. 634. And Policrates Byshop of Ephesus doth shew, that seauen of his parents did (lini­ally discending) possesse the Sea and Bishoprick of Ephe­sus before him, and he himselfe was the eyght. In the time of Pope Alexander. 3. there was a controuersie in Eng­lande, for the Patronage of a Benefice, betwixt the Prior of Plympton in Deuonshire, and one Iohn de valle forda. The Iudges were deputed, Richard Archbishop of Caun­terbury, and Roger Byshop of Wynchester, before whom the Prior of Plympton proued his right thus.A Iury pa­tronatus in Englande prooued, for the Benefice of Plymoth by the suc­cession of maryed priests chyldren. There was sayth he, a priest of Plympton called Alpheidge, and had the benefice of Sutton, now called Plymouth, of the Pryor of Plympton. This Alpheidge had a sonne called Sadda, which also had the benefice after his father, and after Sad­da, was there another priest called Alnoldus, which also had the benefice, this Alnoldus had a sonne called Robart Dunpruste, D. Barns ad. Henr. Regeni. 8. which after the decease of his father Alnolde had also the sayde benefice. And after thys Robart Dun­pruste, Wylliam Bakon his sonne, lykewise enioyed the [Page] same benefice. And so féest thou good Reader, both abroade and at home, the Churche of Rome to haue practised in priesthood, holy matrimony wythout check.Damas. dist. 56. cap. osius. Polid. de inuent re­rum. li. 5. For all these and a great many moe, the Popes lawe testifyeth to be the sonnes of Subdeacons, Deacons, and priestes, and haue borne the Myter in the Church of Rome. Polidorus Vir­gilius sayth, that the restraynte of priestes mariage, was fyrst attempted in Englande, about the yere of our Lord. 970. and was concluded in the Romishe Churche after Anno. 1100. and neuer before:Fabyan pag. 293. So that as Fabyan testify­eth, Byshops and priests lyued with their wyues in holye Matrimony, after Christes ascention, about a thousande yeares together. Is not thys a playne proofe,Priests ma­riage lawful a thousande yeres after our Christs ascention. that syngle lyfe is lately, not yet 600. yeares ago, growne into the Church, and so the inuention of man, compelling men to that extremitie, which neyther God or his Church doth cō ­maunde. Virginitie (sayth Ambrose) is a thing that may be counselled, but not compelled. These Romanists doe com­maunde that herein, which themselues kéepe not, as Ory­gen sayth so long fythe, Non solum, &c. Orig. in mat. tract. 24. Not onely they doe not that they teach, but also cruelly & without mercy, they commaunde others to doe, that they be not able, not consy­dering or waying eche mans strength. Such be they sayth he, that forbidde men to marry, and from that thing that is lawfull, dryue and force men to an immoderate kynde of vn­cleanesse. Hier. ad­uersus Io­uiniā. li. 1. But they are condemned of their chiefe Doctor Hierome, who sayth thus: Si quis consideret virginem su­am, &c. If any man consyder that his owne Virgin, that is to say, his owne flesh, groweth prowde and boyleth vnto luste, and e [...]n of stay it, there is sayde vpon him a double necessitie, eyther to take a wyfe, or to fall. If a Papiste would replye, this in the laytie lawfull, but not in the priests, which haue vowed chastity and syngle lyfe, let him remember what his owne rule, written in his fathers law the Popes Decrée sayth. In malis promissis, &c. 22.9.4. In an euill [Page] promise breake thy fayth (1. thy othe) in an vnhonest vowe change thy purpose, that thou hast vnaduisedly vowed, sée thou doe it not, it is an euill promise that is kept with wic­kednesse, &c. But to helpe this darknesse, the Papists vse a mistie reason,Holy mary­age, no let to godlynes in Ministers. amongst sundrye Paradoxes, Mariage is (saye they) an hyndrance to priests in their office, therfore may they not marry. Yet the olde fathers gathered forth of the vewe of holye scriptures, example that mariage was no let, but a furtherance rather, and in déede to godly lyfe. Chrysostome sayeth,Chri. 1. Ti. hom. 10. although mariage hath much trouble in it selfe, yet maye it so be taken and vsed, that it shall be no hindrance to perfite lyfe.Cont. Iu­deos & Gēt. To. 3 pag. 363. Agayne he sayth: Excuse not thy selfe by thy mariage. Thy Lorde was at the mariage feast, and honored it with his presence, and yet doest thou blame mariage? And sayest thou that mariage is an hyn­derance vnto godlynesse? I tel thée mariage is no maner of hyndrance vnto godlynsse. Wylt thou know that it hynde­reth not to haue a wyfe, and to haue children? Had not Moses wyfe and chyldren? Beholde Peter, a pyller of the Church, he had a wyfe, therefore fynde no faulte with ma­riage. Agayne Esay (sayth he) the beholder of celestiall Seraphins, who notwithstanding, he had companye wyth his wyfe, yet he quenched not the grace of God. Agayne, Esay had a sonne and a wyfe, that thou mayst vnderstand that mariage is not euill, but that fornication is euill. A­gayne,Aug. in ques. nou. & vet. Tes. q. 127 what did mariage hinder thée? No, thy wyfe is gy­uen thée to be thy helpe, and not to deceyue thée. Augustine sayth, most holye Samuel begat children, and yet nothing abated the merittes of his righteousnesse. Zacharias the priest in his olde age begat a chylde (to say Iohn Baptist) wherefore then is that thing accused, which is proued to doe no maner of hurte.Ambr. in 1. Cor. 7.33. Againe Ambrose sayth, we sée both Virgins to be carefull for the worlde, and maryed persons to be carefull for the works of the Lord. But so farre sayth godly Chrysostome, is maryage from hindering, that it much helpeth to godlynesse, and administreth great com­fort. [Page] For it represseth the rage of natures fury (sayth he) suffceth vs not to be dashed and toste as the waues of the Sea,Mariage an help to god­lynesse in priests. but causeth that our ship may happily arriue into the Hauen.Christ. in gen. ho. 21. And for that cause hath God giuen thys comforte vnto mankinde. To be short, the learned priest Gregory Naziancene, testifyeth of his fathers help by mariage (be­ing the Byshop of Nazianzum) on this sorte. Euah that was giuen to Adam for an helper, became an enimy, &c.Nazian. in Ehitaph patris. My mother being gyuen to my father of God, became not onely his helper, for that had bene no great wonder, but also was hys leader and Captayne, bothe by worde and by déede, trayning him to the best. And albeit in other things, it were best for her to be subiect vnto hir husbande for the right of mariage, yet in Religion and godlynesse, she doub­ted not to be his maystres. Thus haue these fathers proo­ued mariage, and mariage of priestes to be no hindrance to godlynesse, but a godly helpe thereto. Wherfore we may conclude, that as syngle lyfe compelled, without consyde­ration to eche priest and minister of God, is without the will of God in his worde. So is that restraynte of mary­age the doctrine of the Deuill, as Paule sayeth to Byshop Timothe.1. Tim. 4.3. Let no man make his excuse by his wyfe or chyldren (sayth Chrysostome) &c. For this excuse and this pretence, is the craft and deceytfulnesse of the Deuill. But the Pope restrayneth maryage, therfore the Deuils Doc­tor. Happily hereto it will be sayde with Augustine:Aug. con. Faus. li. 30 ca. 6. He forbiddeth mariage, that sayth mariage is euill, and not he that setteth before things being good, an other thing that is better. Consyder yet I pray thée this doctrine of the Pope. Qui in carne sunt, &c. They which be in the fleshe,Dist. 82. posuisti. cannot please God. But they which be maryed, are in the fleshe: Therfore they which be maryed cannot please God.Apol. 183. Syri­cius the Pope calleth mariage vice, letchery, & fylthy luste. One Louaniste sayth, the East church maintayned a schoole of fylthynesse, in cause of the priests mariage there defen­ded. [Page] To call mariage vice, letchery, fylthy luste, to say that in mariage a man cannot please God, to cal those Infidels that marry, as Inocentius dist 82. plurimi doth, to say it is a Schoole of fylthynesse, I suppose is to speake more then much euill of mariage, and doth say it is euil. The Pope and the Papistes with him thus speake of it, therfore they giue forth herein the doctrine of the Deuill, and compell by his doctrine their fylthy syngle lyfe. And as the Apostle sayth; when the Romayns their forefathers thought them­selues wise, they became fooles, and tourned the glorye of the immortall GOD, Rom. 1.22 to the ymage of a mortall man, &c. Wherfore God gaue them vp to all fylthynesse: Euen so of right it is come to passe in the Romane papists now, to haue the lyke iudgement, that they may reape the fruite of their iniquitie, and that the blinde guydes and like led peo­ple might perishe together,Iohn. 3. that refuse the light Christ and his gospell, and imbrace by loue carnall this deuillishe doc­trine: What fruites this syngle lyfe bringeth to the world in the Popish Clargie,Filthy fruit of Popishe syngle lyfe. I blushe to speake. I will not ther­fore tell of those 6000 childrens heades, which when saint Gregory the first as they call him (the worste Bishop of Rome in déede, of all that wente before him, but the best of all which haue succeeded his place and dignitie) did drawe his Fishe ponds in Rome, in stead of well growne Carps, were taken vp Isay 6000 childrens heads, to the reproch of all popishe fruite, in popishe priestly syngle lyfe. Thys fruite is whoredome and murther, vppon which occasion Gregory repented, that he had giuen precept of syngle lyfe, remembring the senten [...]e of Paule. It is better to marry then to burne, 1. Cor. 7.9 he there to added (drawing back his wicked decrée, seing it an occasion of great whoredome and mur­ther) It is (sayth he) better to marry then to giue such oc­casion of murther. Epi. cont. O [...]g. he­r [...]s. 42. We may saye of these Chaplaines and their felowes, as Epiphanius sayd of such: They refuse ma­riage, but not luste or pleasure for they esteeme not chastitie, [Page] but hypocrisie, and yet the same hypocrisye, they will haue called chastitie. Can the Popishe Clergie he paynted more plainely: I trowe not certainely, Much lesse will I saye then eyther their deserte or cause craueth, this that I haue sayd doth sufficiently set forth this to be méere popish dark­nesse, and that sufficeth our purpose at this tyme. Trust me (good brother) as in this poynt thou mayest easely per­ceiue their tretchery: So in the remnante of their Religi­on, there is neyther truth, nor true godlynesse.

Now concerning the second branch of the worde dark­nesse, which is corruption of lyfe. If thou wilt aske,The darke­nes of Eng­lande. & what corruption? I studie to saye, not for wante of cause, but where to beginne. I leaue to speake of forreyne Nations, and would to God we had no cause to descry the sicknesse of our selues. England Lorde graunt hir repentance.Esa. 1.5.6 Oh the synnes of Englande. They are (as Esay sayth of hys time) from the top to the sole of the foote there is no health. The princes and Nobles waxe wearie of the worde of lyfe, they may not abide to be touched at the quicke. Se­condly, such rather wishe that the worde shoulde haue no preachers to reueale it, then their iniquity should be made knowne to their amendment by it. I knowe the Lorde be praised, that we haue sundry doughtie Dauids, that yet will humbly heare with noble harts,How prin­ces & noble men muste be reproo­ued of sinne. the Prophet Nathan to reproue their yll, so he doth it by some pretie shadow, as Nathan did. And truely noble persons, are to be vsed with reuerende regarde (their synne not nourished) least as we slyde from Nathan his example, we doe lesse good, then ey­ther our desire, or their condition may require. So be there also hawtie harts in honors seate, to whom Iohn Baptist cannot without great hatred and like displeasure, reprooue those things in them, which the whole worlde cryeth oute vpon. This is corruption, but woulde to God this and the rest were farre from all our Nobilitie. The poore tenants cry out of some, as done to beggery by vnreasonable fynes, [Page] racked rents, great enclosures, priuation of their auncient Commons into Parkes and pastures, not for fallow, but for well tallowed shamble Deare. Oh vyle debase of No­ble state, to acquainte themselues with grasing arte, and Butchers skill, or to destroye for woole and Lambe, the Lambes of Christ, bought with the precious blood of the sonne of God.Act. 20.8. The Courtly pleasures, and Venus Courte is an horrible darknesse of these dayes, women be chaun­ged into mens aparell, that is thought a Courtly comlynes, which the almightye God doth condemne in his lawe, for great abhomination: The woman shall not weare that which belongeth or pertayneth to the man (sayth the Lord) (as Dublet & bréeches & such lyke) neyther shall a man put on womens apparell, Deut. 22. for all that doe so, are an abhomination vnto the Lorde.

Giue eare to this you Courtly Madams, which daunce in mens Dublets to the wante of womanhood,The Courtly guyse in wantons. the breche of this lawe, and the offence of good people, which rather then to doe, you ought to abstayne from your fantasies, were your lewdnesse herein lawfull. Whether yee eate or drinke (sayth the Apostle) or whatsoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glory of God (not to your owne flaunte,1. Cor. 10.31. and vaine glo­ryous shewes) giue none offence, neyther to the Iewe, nor to the Grecians, nor to the Church of God. Marke this you cannot replye, and say. Who hath to do with vs, who shall comptroll vs, we are the maysters of our selues. For euen in those things which be lawfull and indifferent, the more Noble, the greater care you ought by the rule of Gods holy word,In indiffe­rent things, the help or hurte of our brethren, is chiefely to be respected to haue to your actions, for y^e cause of your brethren, which be eyther Gods enimies as the Iewes, who maye not receyue offence at you, or Grecians, popish worldlings or wanton Atheists, which séeke to be of the fashion, though it be against god, or y^t the people of God, by your insolency be gréeued, the daunger whereof is not smale: Whosoeuer (sayth our mayster Christ) shall offende one of these little ones which beleeueth in mee, Mat. 18.6. it were better for him that a [Page] Mylstone were hanged about his necke, and he were drow­ned in the depth of the Sea. Yea greater care, the noble, the mightie, the ritch, the prowde, one and other ought to haue of their godly brethren, then of their owne members. Woe to the worlde (sayth our Christ in the place afore coted) bi­cause of offences, for it must needs be that offences shal come, but woe be to the man by whom they doe come. Wherefore if thine hande or thy foote cause thee to offende, cut them of from thee, it is better for thee to enter into lyfe halt or may­med, then hauing two handes or two feete, to be cast into e­uerlasting fyre. And if thine eye cause thee to offende, pluck it out, &c. Loe christian, thy bodyes desyre muste to her great losse, giue place to thy brothers good estate. Dauid therefore prayeth the Lord, to shut vp his eyes from behol­ding of vanitie. For hence it is,Psal. 119. that the concupiscence of the heart (being produced by the conducte of the eye) doth lust after the pryde of thys worlde, without regarde of God his people, his or oure enimies, or our owne deare brethren, whom eyther we strayne with their sorrowe to sore after our Courtly guyse,Two euils in outragi­ous apparel. or else we grieue their con­sciences to beholde our too to much vanities. And thys is monstruous, that that which is to vs a signification of our fyrst fathers synne, in whom we all are damned to death, should be to vs a delighting pleasure, and the same which was giuen to couer our shame,Gen. 3.21. 1. Cor. 15.22. we shoulde abuse to our great confusion. For most true it is that apparell, where­of we now pride so much, was and is the accuser of synne, for our fyrst parents were naked before they sinned, and were not ashamed, bycause nothing gaue cause to blushe, they frée from synne, and being made to the ymage of God. But hauing transgressed his commaundement, they sawe their nakednesse and synfull bodies by eating of the apple,The cause of apparell is synne. and did blushe, for shame, blushing and confusion are the fruites of synne, to whome nowe some couerture was ne­cessary, as well to keepe the lesse honorable partes secrete, [Page] as to defende them from the parching sunne and Winters colde.Gen. 3.21. Wherefore our good God, gaue to eyther of them a coate of peltes or skyns. This symple sufficient attyre cō ­demneth two sortes of persons, the Adamits which runne naked, to counterfeyte Adam and Heuah, which thing if God would to haue had in vse, he had not giuen these na­ked creatures these néedy coates. The other are our lusty Gallants of eyther sexe, that to to much doe glory in their apparell, which is and ought to be to them, a preacher of their fathers shame. In our attyre we ought to kéepe mo­destie and comlynesse, eche man in his degrée (as their is great difference) the which to excéede, is thus to walke in darknesse. First, they inuerte the vse of aparell, that is ey­ther a bounde beyonde their calling, or take pride therein, which onely ought to defend their bodyes, as is sayde, and to put vs in minde of our frayle condition. These blynde men are lyke to those fellowes, chayned with heauy yrons, for some horrible murther, and yet doe bragge of them, as of matter worthy much glory, and therfore set them forth to shew in all brauery. Secondly, the delight of braue and costly araye, doth marueylously encrease the pride of the lurking heart, which once enflamed, is neuer content, but causeth vs to forget our state and condition, it enuyeth o­thers more gaye, and despiseth all such as to vs be attyred in inferior sorte.Euill bran­ches of a naughtie tree. Thirdly, prowde aparell, as it satisficeth fleshly appetite: so is it verye offensiue to the moste behol­ders. Adde to this, it bewrayeth a lewde harte, a light per­son, a vayne mutable man, delighting change in vanities, and such a one is euer inconstante in all his wayes. Ney­ther did godly Iudith decke her in prowde array,Iudi. 10.1. tyll shée purposed to spoyle curssed Holophernes. And cruel Iezabel sought to allure Iehu his hart, by her sumptuous shewe in brauery. Fourthly, you breake contemptuouslye this com­maundement of Christ: Be not carefull what to put on, &c. If not for necessaries,Math. 6. how much lesse for these superfluous [Page] vanities, which shall bring woes and Gods euerlasting cursse, to them which be faulty herein. Lastly, the iudge­ment of God aprooueth his hate herevnto, which beateth downe iustly so manye to beggerie, from former great pa­trimony, by their synfull excesse in costly aparell, and doth also often throwe vs into those Country plagues, whose fashions we haue most fauoured, in the strange guyse of monstruous attyre. But perhaps these Courtly Ladyes and Gentils will doe, as our Lord Christ sayeth, the Pha­ryseis did. They did hate the present teachers, and yet they made much of the Monumentes of the Prophetes,Mat. 23.29 whome their forefathers murthered. And it maye be that these our riche and myghty Gallaunts will say, what haue these pratling preachers to doe with vs? why should they correct vs? let them kéepe them to the Text of Scripture. Well then, we will in this point pleasure you,Marke ye lusty Gal­lants. and to ende withall, onely giue you the Scripture Text, which would GOD ye would take heede vnto,Luc. 1.78. till the day starre Iesus Christ apeared fully in your hearts. Thus sayth this scrip­ture then against this darke corruption of pride, in the rich practised, for want will not permit the hawtie harts of the least able to atchyue hereto. Now hearken to you Nobles of eyther sexe, ye Gentils & riche in lands and possessions, for now the Lorde himselfe speaketh vnto you:Esa. 3.11. Woe be to the wicked (sayth the Lorde) it shall be euill with him, for the rewarde of his hands shall be giuen hym. Children are Extortioners of my people, & women haue rule ouer them (as Iezabel had of her husband Achab, to spoyle Naboth of his Vineyarde, for her prides sake) O my people, they that lead thee, cause thee to erre, and destroy the way of thy paths. The Lorde standeth vp to pleade: yea, he standeth to iudge the people. The Lorde shall enter into iudgements with the ancients (that is the Rulers and gouernors) of his people, and the princes thereof, for ye haue eaten vp the Vineyarde, the spoyle of the poore is in your houses (the case is some­thing [Page] changed in our dayes, for the spoyle of the poore by the mighty couetous rich, is for the most passed their hands into the Marchant Vserers house, Entrest eating vp both stocke, state, gayne and substance) what haue you to doe, that you beate my people to peeces, and grynde the faces of the poore sayth the Lorde (that is, they shewe all crueltie and extreme impouerishment of them) euen the Lorde of hostes. The Lord also sayth: Bicause the daughters of Syon are hawtie (christian women prowde) and walke with out­steetched necks, Reade and beware to offende the Lorde. and with wandring eyes, walking and myn­sing as they go (they tryp on typtoes) & making a tinckling with their feete. Therefore shal the Lorde make the heads of the daughters of Syon balde, and the Lorde shall discouer their secret parts. In that day shal the Lord take away the or­nament of the slyppers and the Cawles, and the rounde tyres of the head, and the slops (be they linnen or sylken secrete bréeches) and the heade bands, and the Tablets, and the eare Rings, the Rings and the Muflers, the costly apparel and the vayles, and the wymples and the crispine pinnes (wherwith these monstruous heads in heyre be frisled, beyonde Na­tures disposition) and the Glasses and the fine linnen, & the hoods, and the Lawnes. And in steade of sweete sauour, there shalbe stinke, The plague of pryde and superfluous apparell. and in stead of a gyrdle, a rente, and in stead of dressing of the heyre baldnesse, and in steade of a stomacher, a gyrding of sackcloth, and burning in stead of bewty. Thy men) that is to say, your fond husbands which fed your fol­lyes) shal fal by the sworde, and thy strength in the battle. Then shal her gates mourne and lament (theyr pryde) and she being desolate (voyde by conquest in warre of her Go­uernors and Nobles) shal syt on the grounde (in sadnesse and sorrowe) The dayes of our pryde in déede maye boast of antiquitie, as here we sée, but therewith the preachers warrante is declared, by the Sermon of thys imbolde­ned Esay, in whome the promise of God, to all his Mini­sters in the person of Ieremy was apparente. Thou ther­fore [Page] trusse vp thy loynes and arise (sayth the Lord) & speake vnto them al, that I haue commaunded thee. Ier. 1.17. The Prea­cher shall be destroyed fyrst, if [...]ee wynke at others syn. Be not afrayde of their faces, lest I destroy thee before them. For I, beholde I, (a notable warranting consolation to Gods Preacher) I this day haue made thee a defenced Citie, and an yron pyller, or walles of Brasse against the whole lande, against the kings of Iudah, and against the princes thereof, against the priestes therof, and against the people of the lande, for they shal fyght against thee, but they shal not preuayle against thee, for I am with thee to delyuer thee sayth the Lord. Christ is the lyght, his worde and preachers manifest the same: He is giuen of the father to be reuealed vnto men. And though kings and men séeke to stop the same, he shall preuayle in his weake instrumentes, at his good pleasure, mauger their malice. Wherefore ye darke Doughties, and Damsels Feares, which turne day into night, and night into daye, lye in Beddes of Iuory, Esa. 5.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15. Amo. 6.4.5. and quasse carowsse in Goblets of Golde, which despise to haue the light of the Gospell, to pierce your hearts, that encrease your Instruments of Mu­sicke aboue Dauids number, and haue no compassion on Iosephs imprisonmente and miseries. Suffer thys word to be reuealed to you, séeke it, hunger after it, eate it: In taste to fleshe and bloud it is bitter, in digestion harde,Iere. 15.16. but in operation swéete, pleasante and most profitable.The nature of Gods holy worde. It is more sweete (sayth Dauid that Noble Gentleman & king) then Honey or the Honey Combe. Psa. 19.119 It is more precious then Golde and Syluer. For it is the Lanterne to thy feete, and the light to thy paths. It is the immortall séede,1. Pet. 1.23. Ia. 1.18. 1. Pet. 2.2. that beget­teth vnto God: It is the Mylke for Babes, and bread of Gods children: It is the muniment of Gods warre, wher­by all strong holdes, vaine imaginations, and euery high thing that is exalted against God, is throwne downe:2. Cor. 10.4. Psal. 19. Rom. 1.16. It bringeth into captiuitie euery thought, and conuerteth the soule, to the obedience of Christ. Finally, the worde of God nowe preached, is the power of GOD to take ven­geance [Page] of the disobedient, and to bring to saluation, all them which loue, lyue, and beleeue the same. This worde by the Prophets remayneth, crying out of the darknesse of the ritche, so that we may sée, howe as a Canker couetous­nesse hath festered into the whole progeny of the worldly more wealthy.Micha. 2. Wo vnto them (sayth Micha) that imagine iniquitie, to worke wickednesse vpon their beds, when the morning is light, they practise it, bicause their hande hath power. And they couet Fields sayth he, and take them by violence, and houses and take them away (a Towne is tourned into a Shéepecoate) so they oppresse a man and his house, his bloud and kyndred, euen man and his heritage. But against thys Family haue I deuised a plague, wherout you shal not (sayth the Lord) pluck your necks. They shal lament dolefully ouer thée and saye: We be vtterly wasted. The Destroyer shall be destroyed, this is his iust plague. What darknesse is this that so manye Noble men, men of worship, and men of wealth professing the Gospell, shall reade thys and not sée it, shall heare and not vnderstande this, but the couetous cares and pleasures of this lyfe, hath choked his worde in their harts, and therfore they ryse and tourne on the other syde againste the Lorde of lyfe. But what is the darknesse of the common sorte. Truely one with the best sort (as the worlde counteth best) ignorance of God and his worde, and crueltie one to another. For as for whoredome and such grosse sinnes, they are so common as skante they are thought worthye reproofe: Robery in a Gentleman, is wrapped vp with helas, it was néede in him:Great darknesse. Theft is good shift for tall felowes to lyue by: Whore­dome is called the worke of Nature, and dronkennesse good felowship, &c. O Lorde shyne into this doungeon of dark­nesse, with the beames of thy reuealing truth, that oure harts may once hate to sléepe in this bedde of synne and se­curitie, for thy Christes sake. But as their is a lyking ge­nerall (except of Gods chosen) and mutuall for these euils: [Page] So is there else a pestilent hate among these sorts of men. For the Riche men (as Micha sayth) are full of crueltie, Mich. 6.12 and the inhabitants of the land speake lyes one to another, there is to daye, no trust in mans tongue:The worlds fashyon. We are become Coosoners one of another, there is but deceyte in our mou­thes. The good men perishe amongst vs, and there is none righteous in earth. Men lye some in wayte for blood,7.2. others hunte as with a Hay net, to catch his brother. The Iudge iudgeth for rewardes, the great man speaketh out the cor­ruption of his harte, and so against the poore it is shut vp,Mic. 6.13.74. that no man dare whisper against him. Therefore will the Lorde make vs sicke with smyting, and desolate bicause of our synnes. The day of our watchmen and visitation com­meth, then shall be our confusion. Againe, Gods church is spoyled, the people by impropriations robbed of their Pa­stour, by whose spirituall féeding, this bread of lyfe should worke saluation by Christ in them. This is presumptious darknesse.Ioh. 2.15. Christ droue out those which bought and solde in the Temple, and saide that they made it a den of theeues. But what will he do to these,Impropri­a [...]ons, the seede of ig­norance in godly knowledge, and a great cause of Gods anger ouer vs. which buy and sell the church it self, and al her maintenance? From God and his Mini­sters to Atheists, Papistes, and curssed worldlings: that lyue of the Churches spoyle, and hate the Lord thereof, his worde and ministry. Dauid sayth: He hateth all those that haue euil wil at Syon. Antiochus for spoyling the Temple, had a shamefull ende. Let not these in this, looke for a hap­pie blessing. Wyl a man spoyle his Gods? (sayth the Lord) but you haue spoyled me, Mala. 3.8. and yet you say wherein haue we spoyled thee? In tythes and offerings haue you spoyled mee (sayth the Lorde) ye are curssed with a cursse, for yee haue spoyled me (sayth the Lorde) euen this whole Nation. Note well beloued, this darknesse is more pestiferous, in that it doth beget the ignorance in learned letters, and of Gods truth to the posterity to come. For who is he that seing the Church so spoyled, will sende and set his sonne to schoole to [Page] be a preacher, when the reward of that holy learning and place, is next vnto beggery? except the highe Roumes. This is Gods iudgement for ignorant darknesse. But when shal I make an ende, a whole volume would not suf­ficiently set forth the worlds darknesse, and humane fraile conditions. For the preachers are to the people as a merry sounde, Ier. 5.13. Eze. 33.32. (as the Prophete sayth) of one which syngeth a pleasant song: And so it is nowe. All our endeuour is to marke the Preachers cunning, his Eloquence and syn­guler gyftes, and when the Sermon is ended, we thinke sufficiently to haue aunswered all our duetie, if vpon the conceyued delight of his well digested order,The loue of thys tyme to Gods worde and ministers. and sound de­lyuery, we can, and doe giue him his due commendations, but the cause wherfore God sent him, or he spake to our a­mendment we regarde not, but as we came so we go, and contynue as we were, as not hauing heard at all Gods prophet sent amongst vs. Thys vniuersall olde and moste horrible darknes. The Country hath receyued the Court­ly vice, night is tourned into daye, and day into night, to bedde at midnight, and vp at the noone day. The Sermon Bell doth lull these Babes a sleepe, and Sathan laugheth at their swynishe slumber. Halas thys synne. Idolatrous feastes are daylie kept, the Church Saint muste haue hys wake daye, which is all spent (being the Lords Sabboth) in Bearebating, Bacchus chéere, and Venus fylthy sports. Thys execrable darknesse in England without restrainte. Euery man séeketh prayse one of another, and therefore can they not beleue,Ioh. 8.47.5.44. and seeke the only praise of God. This flattering darknesse. The holye Ministrie is holden in con­tempt (Christ and hys Father despysed in them) their pa­trons many,Poling Patrons. are become Latrons, and pryue the preachers portion to serue their owne prouision (it is ynough for the priest to haue ten powndes by the yeare, and for this too, he shal besydes carry a dyshe to his maysters Table, or else stande at the dresser, orderly to set out the messes of meate, [Page] and supply the Clarke of the kytchyns place, his Seruice and Homilyes he must cut short, and measure them by the Cookes readynesse, and dynner dressing, the roste neare ready, the kitchin boye is sente to master Parson, to bydde hym make hast, the meate is readye, and hys mayster cals for dynner, he commeth at a becke, not daring to denye or make longer staye, least his delaye might cause the Cooke to burne the meate, and he be called of mayster and men, Syr Iohn burne Goose. These Parsons must begyn & ende Gods deuyne seruice at their Patrons pleasures) This sa­crilegious darknes. Agayne, Gods Ministers haue taken to them womanishe hartes, they doe not, or dare not re­proue the ryche and mightie of their iniquity. Thys is our spirituall synne, of which Chrysostome sayth:Chrysost. Reproue the myghtie in synne, and they will feare thee, be afrayd of them and they will despice thee. O Lord amende thys tymerous darknesse. To be short, euery man in priuate talke, accu­seth his brother of darknesse and synne, yea one and al, and yet no one almost, wyll submyt hymselfe to the censure of Gods worde, or abyde thereby to be reprooued. This Ca­tholique darknesse. Finally, we walke after wicked coun­sels, we stand and abyde in synfull wayes, Oh returne be­fore ye syt in scorners Chaire, which cannot be reclamed, for of all other thys is a most curssed synne, and desperate darknesse. O Lord be merciful vnto our gracious Quéene, and shewe the lyght of thy countenance vpon vs, and bée mercyfull to vs, illuminate our harts aright, that we may once sée our synne, and vtterly cast of these deadly workes of darknesse, for thy Christes sake our onely Lord and Sa­uyour. But Syr (sayth the Temporall, as the worlde cal­leth them) hath your selfe and Clergy some imunitie and pryuiledge, from these darke and mistie clowdes of synne, whereof you haue so sharply sayde? Not in so déepe drow­nings I truste: But are we frée? No, no, God knoweth. The priests lyps should preserue knowledge, Mala. 2.7. at his mouth [Page] should the Lordes people fetch the wyll of God, for he is the Lords messenger and Angel. But halas of the most we may say:Esa. 56.10. The watchmen are al blynde, they be al ignorante dumbe Dogs which cannot barke, Clergy syn. they lye and sleepe, & de­light in sleeping, and these greedie Dogges can neuer haue y­nough, and these shepeards cannot vnderstand (the reason is) for they all looke to their owne way, euerye one for his ad­uantage, and for his owne purpose. There is an other sorte, of whome maye be sayde, once professing God: They are gone out of the way, Malac. 2.8 they haue caused manye to fall by the lawe. They haue broken the couenant of Leuy, sayeth the Lorde. And now harcken to the plague of Harding, & such papisticall backslyding priestes. Therfore haue I also (sayth the Lord) made you to be despised, Why the Clergy is despyced. and vyle before the peo­ple, bicause you kept not my wayes, but haue bene parciall in the law. To the best of our godly Bishops and learned bre­thren may it rightly be sayde, as was sayde to the Angell, the Byshop of Ephesus, by the spirite of God. Thou haste left thy fyrst loue. Apo. 2.4. Psal. 36.9. God graunt them, & eche of vs his light, wherin we shall haue light, to remember from whence we are fallen, that we maye repent and doe the fyrst workes, which we did before we were promoted to our places, and preferred to others, as well, if not better deseruing, least the Lorde returne shortly, and remooue our Candlestickes. Zorobabel & Iehosua waxed very slacke in the buylding of Gods house,Hagge. 1. but warned by Haggeus the Prophete, they stopped not his mouth, depryued him not of his place and Function, or shut him vp in prison: but gaue eare vnto his worde, and rowsed vp their slothfull bodyes to the Lordes labors, which when the common people sawe, they stack to their godly Prince, and holy learned Byshop for lyfe, with tooth and nayle, to the fynishing of the Lords worke. Con­trarily, Ieroboam, Achab, Herod and such others, neyther would heare the Lords Prophetes, lende them libertie, or graunt them lyfe. Good Lorde defende this age, thy church [Page] and people, from this most horrible darknesse. Shyne into the hearts of thy lightes, our godly learned Byshops, and preachers, that their lyght maye so shine vnto vs, as we by them may be procured to gloryfie thee our father which art in heauen, to whom be prayse and glory, for euer and euer.Mat. 5.16. Amen.

Thys light Christ and his worde, is giuen of the father to be made knowne (as hath bene sayd) vnto the Gentyls,A light to be reuealed vnto the Gentils, and to be the glo­rye of the people Is­raell. and to be the glory of the people of Israel. Where we haue to note, that his worde is not to be kept hydden, or secrete. If a man be blynde, and a perfite medicine be sent hym, if no man tell the same vnto him, if it be not applyed wyth purpose to his eyes, or place to heale, howe can he but re­mayne in his former blyndnesse still? Euen so the blynde worlde cannot be brought to sée the light of God, albeit Christ the light is sente vnto it by him, vnlesse by his spirite and worde, the same be reuealed vnto men, & aptly aplyed to their seuerall darkned consciences. It is knowne that God would haue of all Nations,1. Tim. 2.4 tongues & kyndreds to be saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth. Here­to he hath gyuen Moses, his Prophets, his Christ, and hys Apostles, Euangelists, Pastors, Doctors and teachers, Ephe. 4.11 that Christians might by the knowledge of the light, be brought to his vnitie, and to féele by fayth their consolation in him, both Iewe and Gentyle, and if after so long preaching thereof, the light of the Gospell be yet hidden, it is hyd to them that perishe, 2. Cor. 4.3 whose harts the God of this worlde hath blynded, lest by the worde they should be conuerted and sa­ued. But as God hath giuen his sonne, by his worde to be made knowne: So Antichrist the Pope his aduersary, sée­keth by all meanes and wayes, to hyde this knowledge of the truth from men. And therefore he locketh vp from the people of God the word of God, into the Coffer of a strange tongue, which of fewe is vnderstood,The Popes practise. and of them not with­out long studie, and many yeares trauayle. To this ende [Page] all prayer and seruing of God, is in the Churche subiect to Romishe tyranny, tumbled ouer in the Laten tongue. But this is quyght against Gods purpose,1. Cor. 14.40. & 14.19. Symeons worde, and Christs most holy Testament. Let al things be done in the Church to edyfying (sayth the Apostle) I had rather speake fiue wordes in the Church, that the people (sayth he) might vnderstande me, then ten thousande in a straunge tongue. When thou blessest with the spirite, howe shall he which occupyeth the place of the vnlearned, say Amen, at thy gi­uing of thanks, which is the blessing here spoken of, séeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? Again, when the whole Church is come together in one, and all speake straunge tongues (as the Englishe man to praye in the Laten, He­brewe or greeke tong, not vnderstanding it) there come in they y^t are vnlearned, or they which beléeue not, will they not say,1. Cor. 14.23. that ye are out of your wyts? But if all prophesie, (namely speake in a knowne tongue to that place, to edyfy­ing, to exhortation, and consolation) he is rebuked of all men, and is iudged of all, and so are the secretes of his harte made manifest, and so wil he fall downe on his face, and worship God, and saye plainely, that God is amongst you in déede. Wherevpon the Apostle thus concludeth. If any man speake a strange tongue, let it be by two or thrée at the most, and that by course, and let one interprete. But if there be no Interpretor, let him keepe silence in the con­gregation (which speaketh languages) and let him speake to himselfe and to God. No Laten in the English church, bicause it cannot edyfie those, which vnderstande it not, thoughe it be the scripture of God that is reade or prayed, vnlesse there be to reueale it, and doe presently interprete the same. This is Paules conclusion. The Popishe Mat­tens, Masse, Euensong, Complyn, Pryme, Howres, Masse booke, Manuel, Grayle, Antiphonor, and Portuse, all of Popishe matter, and Laten tongue, is to be banished the Church of Englande, and else where in the house of God. [Page] So as Rome it selfe ought to haue the seruice pure, and in that language, which the symplest Italian, can easily at the fyrst hearing perceyue, & well vnderstand. But what sayth the Romish Frye to this?Popish rea­sons for the seruice in the Laten tong. Forsooth in the lawe were many Ceremonies vsed in the temple, which the ignorant laytie neuer vnderstoode, and yet they were contynued in that church: So though the Laten tongue be vnknowne to the most, it may also well ynough stand in Christs church now. In answere hereto I saye, it is vntrue that the peo­ple were ignorante of the Church Ceremonies. For eue­rye Father was commaunded to teach his children, Exod. 12. what sygnified the pascall Lambe. The Feastes of Pentecosts, of Tabernacles, they vnderstood, and the ceremonies in them, their Sacrifices they knew, some to be y^e Sacrifice for syn, some of Reconcyliation, of peace, and all these Rites, Ce­remonies and Sacryfices, were executed in the Hebrewe tongue, by the ordinance of God, which was the naturall language of the Iewes. And if there were some sygnify­cations there, that concerned not the vulgar sort to know, what is that to kéepe vs from the knowledge of the pray­ses of God in deuyne seruice, which ought to be knowne of euery of vs? We requyre not our people to vnderstand all secrets, but we reprooue the Church of Rome, bicause she doth so estraunge Gods people, from the knowledge of his true seruice, that she wil not spare them in that church so little, as the vnderstanding of the bare wordes, in their natiue spéeche. Let them shewe vs the lyke warrante for this synne, as the Iewish priests had for their holye Cere­monies (all which were prescribed to them by the word of the Lorde) and they haue saide something. But this they cannot, and therefore are most wicked, and their seruice abhominable, and to all that vnderstande not their Laten tongue improfytable.Enchyrid Hosij. cap. 34.

Againe, others with Hosius say, where Paule sayeth: He speaketh in vayne, that speaketh to a congregation in an [Page] vnknowne tongue, he in that place (saye they speaketh of preaching, and not synging, or saying Gods deuyne Ser­uice, but the wordes of the Chapter. 1. Cor. 14. most mani­festly doth conuince them. For their is eftsoones mention made of praying in a straunge tongue (Verse. 14.15.) and sayth he: How shall the vnlearned to thy blessing, that is to thy prayer of thankesgyuing, say Amen, if he vnderstand not what thou sayest? Wherefore this defence is most slen­der, and a falling proppe of Popery. Neyther are they to be heard, which saye the Church hath power to order thys matter.2. Cor. 14.37. For Paule in the Chapter sayth: If any man think himselfe to be a prophet or spiritual (whether prince, Pope, or priest) let him acknowledge that the things which I write (here against praying and preaching in a strange tongue) are the commaundements of the Lorde. And can the Pope then, or maye he, or generall Counsels, change the Lordes Decrée in the Church, and that against the Lorde and hys commaundements? Hath the Church the wyfe such autho­ritie ouer Christ her husbande? This is the duety of the beloued wyfe to heare,The Chur­ches office and duety. and to obey her husband. Heare O Israel, hearken and giue eare (Oh daughter, sayth the Father to his church, in the shadow of Salomons mariage, to Pha­raoh his Daughter) consyder enclyne thine eare (to Christ thyne husbande) forget also thy fathers house, Psa. 45.10 and thy peo­ple (the Romishe Church) so shall the king haue pleasure in thy bewty: For he is thy Lorde, and reuerence thou him. To heare, to obey, to forsake thine owne institution, con­stitution, Father, Pope, & Popish people, that giue thée the lawes of Romishe Egypt, is the duetie of Gods Church. But to change the lawes of God, to comptroll the husband Christes commandement, to keepe him vnder, and set him­selfe aloft in the Temple of GOD (as doth the Romishe Church) is the signe of a strumpet. Iudge therefore (good Reader) now, of thys Church of Rome, and what she is, which contrary to Christs commaundement, in the church [Page] of God, setteth vp hypocritical seruice in a strange tongue.

Againe, some of them saye, for children, Mylke is the best, bicause they are not able to digest strong men, ther­fore the Laten tongue expedient in the church. But I pray you Syr, is it your purpose, if we be Infantes, so to kéepe vs styll? For when shall your Laten seruice, which you call Mylke, be taken by your ordinance from vs: And how proue you that your Laten seruice is mylke for Christian Babes? Mylke nourisheth and feedeth, but howe edyfyeth the Laten tongue mans christian soule, when his inward hart cannot perceyue the meaning of hys outward words? Againe your seruice is exhibited (you say) to GOD, and wyll you feede the Lorde of truth with Popish Mylke? Is not his Maiesty able to receiue stronger meate? But from what breast (I pray you) procéedeth this Mylke? Neyther from the espoused Syon, or was it drawne from the Dugs of the fyrst mother, the Primatiue church, eyther in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Antioche, or else where. Syon had her seruice in her owne tongue in Hebrewe, the East Chur­ches in the Gréeke tongue, which was their natural spéech, yea and Rome it selfe in the Laten tongue,Gods ser­uice ought to be to eche Nation in their commō language. which is the auncient Romane language. And there is no other greater reason in déede for the Laten seruice, then that hereby they would séeme to challenge al Nations to be of their church, and subiect to their Kingdome. But God hauing all Nati­ons vnder his gouernment, doth speake to eche Nation in that tongue which they vnderstande.Esay. 6. Esay sawe the two Se­raphins, and heard them praysing God, in a tongue that he vnderstoode, Holy, holy, holy. When Christ was borne in Bethlehem, the Angelles were heard of the Shepheards,Luc. 2.14. and vnderstood to syng: Glory to God on highe, in earth peace, to men a good will. Which song to Gods prayse, had it bene sung in a straunge tongue, the symple Shepheards had not vnderstood the same. Sith therefore the ordinance of God, the practise of his church, the vse of the tryumphant [Page] Church (to which we ought to be lyke) doth syng and pray in a knowne tongue, to them with whome, and for whom they doe pray. What church is that but Antichrists, which degenerating from all these, doth hyde the prayses of God in a straunge language? Some Papistes are so hatefull, that for warrante of their Laten seruice,Romishe Churche, Antichrists Church. they abuse thys sentence of Christ: It is not good to take the Childrens breade, and to cast it vnto Dogs, by which assertion, vnwyl­lingly they confesse,Mathew. that to haue the seruice in a knowne tongue, is to haue the bread of Gods children. Wel then: God hauing wrung this truth from your lyps, we wyll ac­cept the bread of our Lorde, to say, our seruice to vs Eng­lishe men, in the English tongue, and doe leaue to your in­fancie,A Popishe blasphemy most horri­ble. your chyldishe Mylke of popishe Laten seruice. But are those men for whome Christ hath shedde his precious bloud, no better in your account syr but Dogs. The spirite of God vseth not to dwell in the bodyes of Dogs, but the children of God are the Temples of the holy Ghost. O hor­rible blasphemy,1. Cor. 3.10 to call these holy Vassels, caryon Dogs. But ye are those dyrtie Dogs, which be Canes muti, ye can not speake the praises of God in a knowne tongue, ye byte and deuour them which doe, ye are the Deuils Mastyues, which are reserued to eternall chaynes,Iudae Epist. if God graunt you not repentance. For it is not the propertie of a Pastor to hyde the worde of god from the people, but of Satans Con­sisers, which you Papists are. We may say to you as Hie­rome your great Doctor sayth, of your Fathers in tymes past, and of the Valentinian Hereticks. Barbaro simplices quosque terrent sono. With a barbarous vnknown tong and sound of wordes, they feare the symple, that whatso­euer they vnderstand not, they may the more estéeme and haue in reuerence. And least the Reader should be offen­ded, that I call the Laten tongue hereby barbarous, let hym knowe how the Apostle holdeth euery tongue barba­rous, that is not vnderstoode of him, to whom it is spoken, [Page] saying: Vnlesse I vnderstand the powre and meaning of the wordes, I shall be barbarous to him that speaketh, 1. Cor. 14.11. and he that speaketh, barbarous vnto me. But the Lorde in hys great mercy, as he hath giuen his Christ to be made knowne to Iewe and Gentyle: So hath he in these our happy dayes and present state, by the contynuall preaching of his word, most worthyly wrought the glory of his name.Psalm. 8. So that out of the mouthes of sucklings and babes (yea from old wythe­red stocks, and as it were dead stones) Gods holye spirite floweth in Englande, and myghtily setteth forth the pray­ses of our Christ hys light to vs Gentyls, and full glory to Israel, that imbrace him, to whome therefore be eternall prayse. But for that thys lyght cannot be apprehended by humane capacitie, it is requisite that we séeke the means by which we may apprehende the same. The fyrst hereto is, that we haue the true Interpreter of the worde in our hartes, euen the spirite of truth, whose it is to teache vs, and leade vs into all truth. This Spirite is obteyned of God for Christ, by earnest and vigilant prayer. I wil pray the Father (sayth Christ) and he will giue you another com­forter, euen the spirite of truth, Ioh. 14.16 and he shall lead you into all truth, and shall abyde with you for euer. So as Christ hath giuen vs example, we must daylie pray the father for this Spirite, to illuminate our sences, that we may vnderstand his word aright.Psal. 119. Open mine eyes (sayth Dauid) that I may consyder the wonders in thy lawe. Teach me thy iustificati­ons, and giue mee vnderstanding, and I shall search thy com­maundements. And Paule the Doctor of the Gentyls, in al his Epistles, prayeth for the vnderstanding of the wyll and worde of God, which commeth by the light of the holy ghost.Collos. 1.9 I haue not ceased synce the fyrst daye I heard of you Collossians (sayth Paule) to pray for you, and to make pe­ticion, that you may be filled in al the knowledge of his will, with al wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding. Also for the Ephesians he sayth:Ephe. 3.14 For this cause I bowe my knees to the fa­ther [Page] of our Lord Iesus Christ, of whom is named the whole family in heauen and earth, that he will for his riche gloryes sake, giue vnto you mightily to be strengthened by his spirite in the inner man, that Christ maye dwell in your hartes by fayth, that you being rooted in charitie and grounded, may comprehende with all Saints, what is the breadth, the length, the depth, and to know the loue of Christ, which pas­seth al knowledge, that ye maye be fylled with al the fulnesse of God. A most excellent order howe we obteyne the vn­derstanding of his worde, the light of lyfe, which expres­seth the great goodnesse of our good GOD, set forth by this Metaphor of Geomatrie, of bredth, length, height & depth, that is to say, the excéeding goodnesse of God, which in eue­ry place, in heauen and earth, East and Weast, North and South, appeareth through his lyght of the Gentyls, Christ the Lorde to the sonnes of men. Prayer is the fyrst step to this vnderstanding. Prayer I saye to God the Father of Christ and vs. Gods mercifull gifte answering our prayer is the next, which riche gift reacheth to our harts our light Christ, the Lorde to dwell therein, which Christ doth shyne by his spirite so in our soules, that we by this spirituall po­wer, doe vnderstand the mysteries conteyned in his word, doe heare his voyce, and onely cleaue thereto, eschewing al strange spéeches, be they neuer so pleasant to the naturall eare.1. Cor. 3.14. For thus made spirituall, we iudge al things. Assure your selues by your owne desire of doing good to your own borne sonnes, of your heauenly fathers gift, euen his holye spirite to this ende:Iac. 1.6. Luc. 11.11. If ye aske in faith not doubting. Which of you fathers, if his sonne doe aske him bread, wil giue him a stone? Or if he aske a Fishe, wil giue him a Serpent? Or if he aske an Egge, wil giue him a Scorpion? If you therefore (sayth our light and Lord Christ) being euil, know how to giue your children good giftes: How much more shal your heauenly father giue his holye spirite to them, which aske of him. Whosoeuer asketh receyueth and he which seeketh fin­deth, [Page] who knocketh, the dore shall be opened to him. Pray therefore, lyfting vp pure hands.

The second is, the diligent studie and daylie reading in the booke of God:Psalm. 1. Blessed is he that doth meditate in the law of God day and night, and doth conferre place with place, and by those that are more playne, open the more obscure. This was Paules commaundement to Timothie:1. Tim. 4.13. Tyll I come, giue thy selfe to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Againe: Abyde thou in those things that thou hast learned, knowing of whome thou hast learned them, 2. Tim. 3.14. and that of a little chylde thou hast studied the Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to saluation, by fayth in Christ Iesu.

Yea, olde Paule hymselfe,Reading with dyli­gence, a gret furtherance to Gods knowledge in vs. being a prysoner in Rome for the Gospell, contynued this exercise of reading & pen­ning the fruite of his studie. Wherefore that he myght haue to do so, he sendeth to Timothy for his books, and no­ting Partchment Roles, that he left at Troas. If thys was néedefull to olde learned Paule, it is moste necessary in yong Tymothy: if in the teacher,2. Tim. 4.13. much more in the scho­ler. And let no man yrke at the based style of holy Wryt, but rather thinke as in homely shelles, manye tymes are found most precious stones, and in rough inclosing chaffe, moste fayre and fruitefull Wheate: So vnder the lowe style of Gods sacred Booke, the diligent praying Reader (if he come not with a preiudiced mind thereto) shal gather to his best good, the heauenly truth of Gods holye wyll in his writtē scriptures. These precious Iewels shal he there fynde: A most sure Ancor holde for his conscience against all temptations: If thou labor of darke ignorance, there­in is the brightnesse of knowledge: If troubled in consci­ence and vexed for synne, there is the remedy, the warrant of quyet minde giuen thée in Christ: If oppressed and al­most ouer whelmed in worldly cares, and enimies, there is consolation and happy euent easely had: If destrest and perplexed, there is sound counsell and faythfull friendship: [Page] If doubting of Gods lyfe, there is a most sure Towre of defence, and well buylded bulwarkes against all such as­saultes. And truely our second Dauid Christ, did not else where,1. Sam. 17.40. Mat. 4. then forth of this Scrip, take those little stones which slue the olde Goliath Satanas, in his subtile assaulte and cruell temptation, Scriptum est, &c. What wouldest thou haue? Hence floweth the Ryuers of God in Christ, to the drinking of which,Ioh. 4.14. our Christ doth daylie inuyte vs, whose nature is absolutely to quenche oure intollerable thyrst,The trea­sures dwel­ling in the worde of God. and to satisfie vs in desire of most happinesse. Here is the Storehouse of GOD, whether we ought to goe, to satisfie oure hungry soules. Thys is the Ta­ble of the Lorde, most amply furnished with all dyshes of necessary dyet, dressed by the finger of God, wherewith he doth most lyberally féede vs: Here is also moste pleasaunt Wyne of consolation and lyfe, the Fountayne of Christs bloud daylie open, for euery soule that thyrsteth after it, to washe away his synnes: In this holy Byble is situate the Heauenly Paradise, farre passing the Garden of Eden, where is all kinde of fruit for vs to eate, in which the Trée of lyfe Christ Iesus is most fayre and frée to vs. The trée of knowledge of good and euill, is set to our instruction, vz the worde of God, of which we maye eate, and muste eate, wyll we be saued. But that we eate not as our fyrst Father Adam did, in earthly Paradise, it is fyt that we come as Bées, and not lyke vnto venemous Spyders. Let vs search and séeke therein, the most swéete lycour of lyfe, the knowledge of God and his Christ, the knowledge of our synnes, the reward of them, the forgiuenesse of them, by whome and the maner howe: The will of God, and the strength to serue him orderly, the power of Satan and his wylie engins, and how to escape them: The weapons and armour of God, and how to be armed therewith, and by battayle (in our Captayne Christ) to beate downe Satan vnder our féete. If on this sort we come, and humbly with open hartes pray and reade aduisedly, and eftsoones medi­tate [Page] in the lawe of God, we shall moste ioyfully returne daylie to our brethren, into the Hyue of Gods Churche, where we shall become profitable to all men, by the honey of lyfe, euen his spirite and truth, which forth of the Gar­den of Gods scriptures, we haue receyued. But if we come with mindes to cauill, forestuffed with errors, and bent to gather to féede our yll, we shall misconster the worde, for his truth is open to babes,Mat. 11.15 that are content to take the les­son at the parents mouth, and not to the worldly wyse, and lyke learned, resting in their owne wouen webbe of frayle humayne spynning. Hence commeth darknesse, error, he­resies, schismes, backslydings from God, and running into Hell without remorse. Take héede therfore, how thou com­mest to this holy booke, and looke not therein superficially, but in great diligence, and let the hardnesse thereof pro­cure thy whole industrie (as before) consydering wyth what paynes men attayne to skyll, and how harde things by often vse become both swéete and easie.Mortall men take great paines to read pro­phane, but little in gods Booke. The mortall bookes of heathen men, we toyle and turne ouer with in­credible endeuour and contynuall labor, beating body and brayne, the solace and safetie of health often berefte, and contemned hereby, that we might attayne the perfection of the wryters will. And yet doe such labors but teach, or the kéeping or recouery of Natures health, or the increase of state and wealth, or the ruled lynes of common welths guyde, or such other artifyciall poyntes of temporall bles­sings, which in themselues consydered, are in deede preci­ous, but compared with the treasures of Gods booke (the lyght of lyfe) there is no comparison. For we haue not therein mannes earthy, but Gods heauenly wisedome, speaking vnto vs, to whose worde,Gods word wyll make vs apt to all perfection. if we giue obedient eare, we shall receyue most synguler aptnesse, and ability to al heauenly things, we shall dryue from vs all heauy de­pressing pleasures, that hinder godly paines in Gospel stu­die, we shall be lightened with consolation in the booke of [Page] God, and his worde shal become most swéete and easie vn­to vs, of what estate soeuer. Kings shall haue in this booke their rule to gouerne, learned Preachers to teache, and the matter and Methode: Counsellors Lordes and Lawyers, matters of health: the déepe wyttes, and great Clarkes, high and déepe mysteries, and louing lowly persons, plaine and most open doctrine, sufficient to their saluation. Ther­fore reade diligently, and praye continually, and no doubt the Lord according to his promise (seeke and you shal finde, Luc. 11.10. Math. 6. Ezech. 36. pray and it shall be giuen you, &c.) will giue thée his holye spirite, change thy heart of stone, into a fleshy heart, and teach thée his statutes, giue thée the vnderstanding of hys lawe, and teach thée himselfe. This onely remayneth, that we which be Gentyls, should cast away our former dark­nesse, and put on this armour of lyghte, and embracing Christ for our lead Starre, as he is of his father giuen to vs, should by his spirite and sacred worde of fayth, in his po­wer, cast of the power and workes of darknesse. Other­wise, it shall be to all Recusants their condemnation, that light is come into the worlde, Ioh. 3.19. and those blynde men loue darknesse rather then the light. The Iewe ought to refuse his Righteousnesse by the lawe also, and the Pharisey not to bragge & glory of his holynesse, but sincerely to receyue this our light Christ, and in him onely to repose his trust, bycause he is giuen him of GOD, to be his onely glory. And this God graunt to his good pleasure in Christ. To the which Christ, with God the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, nowe and for euer.